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Dalton Knecht knew LeBron James was a fan of Madden before they became teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers, but he was surprised by how much James truly enjoys it. During a Lakers practice session, Knecht was asked what he had learned about James, revealing that James lives and breathes Madden.
Dalton Knecht discovering LeBron James' love for Madden
“How much he loves to play Madden,” said the Los Angeles Lakers rookie. “He always talks about him playing Madden but I didn't really know it was that much. He watches it on the plane and stuff.”
Knecht added that LeBron is so deep in Madden that he watches it like basketball film, “He watches film just like it's basketball. It’s crazy.”
It may not be surprising, as just under two years ago, Savannah James shared a funny video of LeBron welcoming the new year by playing Madden. He might do the same this time around.
James once admitted to being addicted to Madden 23. The 39-year-old has a deep love for the video game series and has become quite skilled at it. He appears to easily dominate most opponents, and in October, James revealed he had earned a spot among the top 100 players in Madden 25. While unlikely, he could potentially explore e-sports once his basketball career ends.
LeBron James’ love for football is well known. He has been spotted attending games and often shares his predictions on which teams he believes will win ahead of the weekly NFL matchups.
The Lakers superstar also played football in high school as a wide receiver for St. Vincent-St. Mary's, drawing attention from several Division I schools. Ultimately, he decided to focus on basketball and entered the NBA directly after high school.
Although he chose basketball, James' passion for football often shines through, a fact Knecht has quickly learned during his time with him.
LeBron James still performing at a high level
With the end of James' basketball career approaching, he continues to perform at a high level in his 22nd season. The 20-time All-Star is averaging 23.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game for the Lakers in 2024-25. Despite a challenging offensive stretch in November, he has since found his rhythm.
Although James may no longer dominate like he once did, his continued high-level performance late in his career is remarkable.
Knecht expressed his aspiration to play as long as James has. While it's an admirable goal, the 23-year-old is unlikely to play that long.
The 17th pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, Knecht is also working to regain his rhythm. At one point, he appeared to be a strong Rookie of the Year contender, but he's struggled in December, with just two 10-point games this month.
The second 10-point game came in the Lakers' 115-113 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Christmas, where Knecht tallied 13 points (5-9 FG), seven rebounds, two assists, and a block. He will be hoping it's a sign of better performances ahead.
LeBron James saying the NBA is better than the NFL
After the Lakers-Warriors Christmas Day matchup on Wednesday, LeBron James shared his thoughts on which league dominates Christmas. In a quick postgame interview with Lisa Salters, James concluded the conversation with this remark, “Merry Christmas to my family back home, I'm coming home. And I love the NFL, I love the NFL, but Christmas is our day,” said James.
James and the Lakers faced off against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day in an exciting game that came down to the wire. Both teams traded baskets in the final moments, and in the closing seconds, guard Austin Reaves drove to the basket and made a lay-up to secure a two-point victory for LA.
Knecht, James and the 17-13 Lakers will next face the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday at 10:30 PM ET. With the Kings recently parting ways with Mike Brown, it will be interesting to see how the players respond on the court to his dismissal.
