There are certain players whose greatness or popularity is so pronounced that they bring with them legions of loyal fans who will ardently defend the athlete for life. Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has his share of detractors, but he is not someone you can publicly criticize without incurring the wrath of many supporters in return.

In the case of Lakers rookie Jalen Hood-Schifino, he merely made an honest slip-up about the legend's age and apparently caught flack for it. Upon learning that he was just a week old when James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, Hood-Schifino blurted out, “I saw that … and was like, ‘Dang, LeBron’s old!’” The comments quickly made the rounds and were not well-received by all fans.

He did his best to clear the air Tuesday on Instagram. “I would never disrespect LeBron,” the No. 17 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft said, via ClutchPoints. “He's one of the best players to ever play this game and I'm blessed to be able to play alongside him! If anything, I'm giving him praise for what he's doing at his age.”

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While it is always good to clarify a statement that may be taken the wrong way, Jalen Hood-Schifino might have dug himself into a deeper hole with the public by justifying the remark. Fans could be more willing to accept his explanation if he said something along the lines of “I meant no harm, my fault.” Of course, something so trivial should not even be occupying the rookie's focus right now. That goes for fans as well.

The Lakers have big decisions to make this offseason. With free agency commencing on June 29, the front office is motivated to ensure that the team remains in contention in the Western Conference. That includes finding a potential starting point guard in the 6-foot-6 Hood-Schifino.

The Indiana product will have every opportunity to succeed in LA and should not be weighed down by any outside distractions. Still, publicly commending his new teammate LeBron James could only be beneficial as he begins his NBA journey in Summer League play next month.