Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James surprised some by declaring in a recent interview that he only has three “very good” friends in the NBA. And none are on his current team.
There’s his former teammate Dwyane Wade, with whom he won two championships. There’s Carmelo Anthony, who was also drafted in 2003 and is around the same age. And there’s Chris Paul. All three are superstars, and basically on the top-tier with LeBron and just a handful of other NBA players.
“People get so infatuated with the best of friends, things of that nature,” James told Cleveland.com.
“First of all, I’ve got three very good friends in this league, and that’s Carmelo (Anthony), and that’s C.P. (Chris Paul), and that’s D-Wade. And after that I have a bunch of teammates. I have guys I ride for every day. But Kyrie is a guy I understand how important he is to this team, how important he is. And the same with Kev as well.”
LeBron sat down with a reporter, as did Kyrie Irving, to talk about how they have progressed as teammates and how the Cavs have gotten hot after their rough start.
James and Irving say they now see the game in similar ways and that’s why they’re playing better together, and that they’re committed to working with Kevin Love.
“In order for us to reach our potential, the Big Three has to be big,” James said. “And it can’t just be Kyrie one night, me one night, and Kev. We all have to be clicking at the same time in order for us to be successful.”
