LeBron has always aimed to prolong his greatness and not be just another used-to-be star player.

Daniel Gibson played five seasons with LeBron James in Cleveland during his NBA career. It was during James’ first stint with the Cavs, and they hadn’t won a championship yet. However, Gibson said Bron was already the best player in the league at the time.

According to Gibson, many see James as a freak of nature, having been gifted with size and athleticism. However, Bron has also been constantly training hard.

The way “Boobie” sees it, James, same as Kobe Bryant, was fueled by the thought that someone else would outmatch him if he didn’t put in the necessary work required. Even worse, he might end up being just another once-phenomenal player.

“Yeah (they say the same thing about Kobe). I think those guys have a fear of being average,” the seven-year NBA veteran told VLAD TV in 2021. “They don’t want nobody to even think that they could can match them you know what I mean, and so, I think once you put the work in like that kind of work, it brings confidence because you know you’ve been in the gym and you know you’ve been working so, you just get out there and do it.”

LeBron taught Gibson how to maintain greatness

Watching James continuously work and improve his game, Gibson realized that talent is not always the key to success. As a competitive and hard-working player himself, Gibson understood in theory that hard work is just as, if not more, important than natural ability.

However, “Boobie” admitted that Bron’s dedication and relentless work ethic is on another level. Gibson revealed that as a leader, James led by example and proved to his teammates that just because he is already regarded as the best doesn’t mean the work is done.

Looking back, it meant a lot to Gibson, a budding NBA player at the time. For Gibson, LeBron’s maintenance of greatness inspires not only his teammates but also many young aspiring athletes.

“I think that players like that, they have a gift that everybody ain’t got. Everybody ain’t 6’9″ and run that fast and jump that high but also most of those guys have a drive that most people don’t know about. So, that’s what I learned from watching Bron,” Gibson reflected.

“Like, I would always try to be the one that would be the first one there but I’m competing with him and he already the best player in the world you know what I mean? That just goes to show you the type of player he is and that’s what I learned most from him like, no matter how much talent you got, if you ain’t willing to put the work in, then everybody catch up to you,” he continued.

Bron was a motivator too

Gibson perfectly described how James unbelievably found the right balance between God-given talent and hard work. However, that doesn’t mean that “The King” didn’t encounter any difficulties as a player.

In fact, Bron faced numerous challenges throughout his career, but, as Gibson mentioned, his commitment to enhancing his s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s and prolonging his dominance has allowed him to overcome obstacles and even reach new heights in the process. This mindset resulted in great things for LeBron and motivated his teammates to buy into it. In addition to Gibson, former Cavaliers shooting guard JR Smith can also attest to that.

Like any other NBA player, Smith also had his fair share of ups and downs, primarily struggling with consistency. As per “J.R. Swish,” James significantly helped him deal with it by infusing him with positivity and confidence.

“His work ethic and his drive changed my life,” Smith once said of LeBron. “I looked at it from a different perspective. Surprisingly I was so insecure about my game I didn’t want people to see it. I didn’t want them to see the insecurities that I have of me missing shots. LeBron helped me by saying there is a reason you are here; there is a reason why we are here. When we get to those moments, we won’t miss those shots. He pounded that s**t in my head so much that every day I was in the gym for 3, 4 times a day.”

Bron is still doing it at year 22

It’s safe to say that not one bit has changed James’s mentality as a player. As the leader of the current Los Angeles Lakers team, Bron continues to impress fans and critics alike as he navigates through his 22nd season in the league.

Despite the physical demands of today’s NBA, LeBron remains a dominant force on the court. His ability to adapt his game as he ages has been incredibly remarkable, and it speaks volumes about his commitment to hard work and long-lasting greatness.