LeBron James Movie - A King's Metamorphosis 3

I'm chasing that greatness. That's always been my goal since I got in the NBA. James all the way in for the slam! I am a Laker. I am. I'm definitely a Laker. I feel that I'm happy as hell to be one. The excitement that I have to be a Laker, it's kind of like a dream come true for me. I've always felt like that was one of the historic franchises. When you look at the Lakers, being able to play for a historic franchise, a day doesn't go by where I don't think about them. It was always the Lakers were big brother and the Clippers were little brother in L.A. Now we're seeing something shift. Kawhi Leonard made LeBron James not look athletic. We thought LeBron James had no matchup until Kawhi showed up. For me to be a Los Angeles Laker and play inside Staples Center, to see all that purple and gold. James holding his left leg. I don't think that you owe anything to another person in terms of figuring out what you want to do with your life. I think the sky's the limit for that kid. His talent, his work ethic, the fact that he loved to continue to learn about how to play the game. I think the sky's the limit for him. The kid's 23 years old. It's been awesome to be a part of. LeBron's been in this league for a while now. That's the type of guy that I want to be with every single time I'm going to war. If we continue to be with one another and keep utilizing one another, the sky's the limit. You have to be selfish in that in figuring out what you want to do. There is no looking back from that standpoint. When I heard Kyrie wanted to be traded, I had a ton of emotions. I was wondering if there was something I could have done better to make him not want to be traded. Is it the way that the season finished? Was it me coming back in the first place? I don't know. Listen, man, we're trying to win a championship. You're either with us or you're against us. This is the best stretch I've seen LeBron James play in quite some time. It's about the efficiency. I've been in this position before, so I know once the game gets going, then I'll be able to just focus on us just trying to get better and be the best team that we can be. He's shooting like 45% from three. This is the best start we've seen for LeBron James, too. This is the most efficient LeBron James ever. There was an article about how LeBron playoff LeBron is real. Well, they have to understand LeBron's a million years old, has a billion miles on his legs, has to take it easy. But he does flip the switch in the playoff, so they will get better in the playoff. But better enough to beat the Pacers in the first round, which is going to be a tough series. He's the best on the planet. Yeah, but minutes played already surpassing Michael Jordan. Yep. And still at this level with that efficiency? Yeah. That conversation's still open. James, two seconds, one second for the win! LeBron James! They know me. Then, the Toronto Raptors? The top five defense? They have to rely on LeBron flipping that switch to the next level and everyone following him. You're going to do that just when the playoffs show up? This is the year. They simply don't have enough. There's not enough talent on the roster, even for the great LeBron James. That's why I sit up here today, still in this uniform. Still ready to lead this franchise to a championship. Put us in a position where we can be successful. Steps tries it again. Puts it in! As the shot clock expires! First Finals Trilogy and First Finals Rubber Match. I like the Warriors to win the championship this year. Seeing it back on the floor. James drives past Livingston and throws it down. He said she was all city. James again from downtown! Hill misses. Rebound goes to the Cavs. J.R. Smith brings it back out. Throws it to Hill. Hill's shot blocked. And will go to overtime. And that'll do it. Golden State survives in overtime. There's the buzzer. There's a new dynasty in the NBA. The Golden State Warriors champions once again. Back-to-back titles. Three and four years. And the latest with a sweep. I would love to see him stay as a Cavalier. I think it's going to solidify him to stay in Cleveland. He's too good to go somewhere and try to chase a ring. He's done that already. Got two championships out of that. I would love to see him stay in that uniform. You see these great, unbelievable, beautiful horses going for the Triple Crown. They have all these people here going. They're betting on these horses. They're excited. Everyone's going crazy. But you see these horses. They have these blinders. They don't see nothing but the finish line. And they just zeroed in on what their goal is and what the main thing is. And I try to just always stay there. We've got breaking news. LeBron is a Laker. LeBron James is a Los Angeles Laker for what ought to occupy the final act of his NBA story. Four-year, $154 million max deal. That's what he can sign in L.A. likely and opt out after three years. That could put him back in free agency or negotiate a new deal. First of all, I'm ecstatic. I think it was the right situation, the right call for him to make. He wasn't going to get anything accomplished in Cleveland. That was obvious. You've got to give kudos to Magic Johnson. So LeBron came to this decision a few days ago. He's been letting some select people in his life know that this was coming. On this Lakers team, you're not only the only elite player. You are the only all-star. That's my job right now is to show everybody that I can win. He was like, okay, I'm not going to get a superstar. I'm going to be the guy and carry this team. I think pressure is created by what you do out on the floor. I know how to play the game of basketball, and that's what I will fall back on. I'll fall back on the fundamentals of the game and fall back on my knowledge of the game and the way I prepare. It's LeBron James leading a team. We're new to each other, so I want to improve on everything. I'm still that man. And while they might not want to come play with me, you either play with me or I walk away. He is as close to flawless as any superstar we have ever seen in the history of sports. I've beat the odds. I've never put a ceiling. I've never said how many years I want to play. You know why you've never seen Michael Jordan do this? Because in year 16, he was home with his feet up. I've already exceeded that. The life expectancy of an NBA player is definitely not 16 years. I've never taken it for granted. I know what I'm going to get from LeBron. We've never seen anything like it. How do you think this season will be remembered for the Lakers? It's a lost season. This year is a throwaway year. They didn't make the playoffs. No, it's over now. You're really not sure what you got with the young guys. This year, for the first time in nearly a decade, you are not playing in June. You suffer now, and then at the end of the day, you will live your life as a champion. The rumor mill is a churning. You said recently that it would be amazing if the Lakers traded for Anthony Davis. It would be unbelievable to have a 25-year-old superstar. A player like this, I roll the dice way to the summer. Next year, we're not taking this nonsense. Anthony Davis traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. What does that do for the balance of power out west? I think the most difficult part for me was just not knowing. You've got LeBron. You've got AD. You're in the conversation. You get to play alongside LeBron and a playful organization that's all about winning. Forget winning, winning championships, and that's the only goal. Man, I've got to get back to June. Figure out what your meaning is, and when you're able to do that, you're able to tap into some things that you may not even thought you was possible. LeBron sending the lane all the way to the rim again. Now LeBron goes his way. With authority, right down the lane, and nobody stopped him. Drives, and two men, and scores, plus a foul. Slow it in, count it. There's always some good to what other people think is bad. I haven't had that much rest for my body to reset everything. Kind of strip down the car and actually rebuild it back up. LeBron James! Boy, you're splitting a couple of defenders. LeBron James has put the Lakers in front. LeBron to the rim. What a fantastic driving bucket. There were people this summer more than ever wondering if you were washed. Yes sir, LeBron! He made the claim. The Lakers and the Clippers being this good at the same time. LeBron Claw, you can go down the list. This is the teams that everybody's been talking about all offseason. They play with so much energy, that becomes infectious. The battle for LA. This is, in my opinion, even greater than we thought it could be. Now you got the stars on both teams. And not only do you have the stars, but you got the generational stars. They already don't recognize us as a so-called LA team, but we're the LA Clippers. Y'all try to overlook us, that don't mean s*** to me. At the end of the day, y'all gonna have to recognize us. We're gonna make you understand who we are. As always, the Lakers were big brother and Clippers were little brother in LA. And now we're seeing something shift. I think the Clippers are the best team in the West. And I think that's just too much for him. He's gotta do it all the time. It's gonna be a tough one. LeBron said he's been tired of watching people play with the throne, play with his name, say he's not on top anymore. I think we're gonna see him come out with a lot of added motivation. For you, LeBron, I know you've always said you don't need any extra motivation. But I got some this summer. We're on talk mode, though. But I'm not on talk mode. My mom told me. I wish I could elaborate a little bit more. When you're on this desk, you're on talk mode. My mom told me, she was like, listen, don't talk about it, be about it. But there's some motivation for me. There's a lot of conversations going on this summer. James behind the back to Howard. Incredible. That guy is amazing. I mean, it just, you know, I'm a fan of true breakers in sports. I don't care what team, what sport. Here he comes! All the way! Look out! Wow. He's got something to prove, and he's having a ball this year. There's a look in his eye, like, man, I found the fun again in basketball. There's James. Goes across the lane, lays it up, and lays it in. And there it is. He just became the third leading scorer in NBA history. Passing Kobe Bryant. Just to be in any conversation with Kobe being Bryant. You know, seeing what he was able to accomplish winning championships. Now I'm here in the Lakers uniform. Just admired him for so many years. Kobe Bryant is dead at the age of 41 due to a helicopter crash just north of Los Angeles. Tonight, we celebrate the kid that came here at 18 years of age, retired at 38, and became probably the best dad that we've seen over the last three years, man. So in the words of Kobe Bryant, Mamba out. But in the words of us, not forgotten. Live on, brother. It's too soon. I mean, way too soon. This was the guy. They grew up on a true, iconic guy. You want to be great at something. You want to be the best at something. You become so driven that you won't let nothing stand in the way of it. He wearing the oversized jersey. He wearing the finger sleeve. He wearing his shoes. Just showing the appreciation and the love that he gave us. A day doesn't go by where I don't think about him. A day doesn't go by where our organization does not remember him. Who right now in the NBA universe has the most pressure in Los Angeles? When you're a Laker, everybody's going to say something about you. Patrick Bevel has set the tone for the entire game. It's an honor to watch him play. We have a lot of room to improve. We're a new group that's coming together. We have a new coaching staff. We have a new system. We still build it. It's the first game, the first time all of us played with each other. Right now with them being both at their peaks right now, as far as talent is concerned, this will be a heightened rivalry between these two Los Angeles teams. It's exceeded everyone's expectations. You have multiple all-stars. I think the Clippers are the best team in the West. Then you've got the Lakers, and after that it don't matter. I'm right now not in a talking-about-it mode. I've been very quiet this summer for a reason. My mother always told me, don't talk about it, be about it. Now the strength begins. Kawhi Leonard guarding. LeBron James drives past him. Layup is good. This building is filled with Laker jerseys. James drives, layup, count it, and the foul. The game has been postponed between the jazz and the thunder tonight. Still awaiting official word from the league office. That's exactly why they've determined not to play tonight. We've been reading about this, dealing with this, talking about this for the last two, three weeks, so it's finally hit our country. Some guys are going along fine, and then their game just falls off a cliff. Do you worry about that at all? No, I don't. I don't. Because my game is so multidimensional that I can actually camouflage some parts of my game that can make it decline and actually still be productive. The NBA and the NBPA release an update. The NBA returns. The rules are for everybody. It's a championship, it's a championship. You go to play, you go to win. While Staples Center has been the mecca of basketball this year, all eyes are on Orlando as the NBA restart unfolds. What I've learned in a Laker is that the Laker faithful don't give a damn what you've done before. You've got to do it with them as well. They don't care about your resume at all. You've got to do it as a Laker in every spectrum. I've learned that. If you remember, when he first came here two years ago, a lot of people loved the move, but a lot of people weren't happy and said he had to really earn a strike because everyone wanted to put him on that Laker Mount Rushmore. He's in the process of earning everyone's love and respect. These games, they'll separate themselves right here with the Clippers. This is statement defense. It's statement defense right here. I'll be here to see you. For a second difference, LeBron on the fly, got his own miss, and puts it up and in. We always talk about this all the time. Do you let LeBron go for 50 and 60 and shut everybody else down, or do you try to stop LeBron? When it's all said and done, he'll be an all-time Laker great. He'll be an all-time Laker favorite, and him and AD will be able to hang their jerseys up there one day. That man, Anthony Davis, it's time for him. You know, the Lakers came out and smacked him in the mouth. I didn't see a lot of fire. He's one of the all-time greats the game has ever seen. I thought the Lakers dominated in that game. In the first half, the Lakers did a real good job of running him off the line. Express yourself, LeBron James! We're going to see what happens next. If you're able to become victorious out of the finals, it doesn't matter who it's against. I'm just happy that I'm here. I believe the man above gave me an opportunity, gave me a gift. I've always been confident that we had the ability to win. I don't know why the man above gives me the hardest role. There's nothing worth having that's easy. It comes with the territory, and you learn how to deal with it throughout experience. For me, personally, I know what my main focus is. My main focus is the game of basketball. It's been extremely tough, but I'm here for one reason and one reason only. And that's to compete for a championship. He is going to use the memory of Kobe Bryant to fuel this run. I'm just here to be happy about it. The job's not finished. The job's finished? I don't think so. The job is not done. I'm going to continue to get the work in. I'm going to continue to not sleep until the job is done. I've been as locked in as I've ever been in my career. Everything about this year is different. Everything about 2020 is different. And how am I different today than two years ago when I entered the finals? A little bit more gray hair in my beard. The mind is strong no matter what's going on. No matter the scrutiny. No matter the adversity. To always kind of be even keeled. You know, when you have all the athleticism, you have all the quickness, you have all the speed, and at that point in time in your career, I think that's when you need to sharpen your mind even more. It's the ones that kind of stay in the top tier. It's the ones who can also outthink the game as well. Right now, we see the Los Angeles Lakers in a position to win a championship. LeBron James. AD has played phenomenally, but the experience of LeBron James, the intelligence and understanding how to keep his guys locked in through the bubble period is critical. The Miami Heat, their title hopes are still alive with one of the more surprising results in a finals game in a long, long time. To be able to just close my eyes and just kind of relax myself and calm myself and take deep breaths is meditation. I have to go to L.A. because of LeBron James and what he means and what he'll bring to the table. Put in the work either when you're feeling great, go on the floor, put your time in on the floor, get better and better and better. Every day, we're trying to work championship habits. Davis for three. Bang! Anthony Davis from downtown, and the Lakers take a nine-point lead. Literally everyone is going to say this thing is over. It's okay. Our confidence ain't going nowhere. It's going to stay high. I'm going to make sure that it stays high because it's going to have to be at all-time high to get this next win. James head down, drives inside, layup, count it, and one. Again, defense leading the offense. He's seven of ten from the field. Hits that as the shot clock expires. Meanwhile, LeBron James, 21 points. LeBron James nails the three-pointer. Caruso pushes it up the other way. James tries another three-pointer, puts it in. LeBron James now three for four from downtown. One of the best games not only of the series, John, it's one of the best games I've seen since the restart, honestly, because of what was at stake and the number of big plays and big shots made down the stretch. It was guys rising to the occasion, and it just so happens that Jimmy Butler ended up with the ball last in those free throws. I just want to win. I've been preaching to everybody that it's going to happen. It's going to happen again next game. At the end of the day, we just hope we make him and his family proud. And that's all it's about. And anybody that's ever stepped foot and put on a Lakers jersey, we hope we make them proud as well. I'm extra motivated by that in its own sense. This is when LeBron James is a nightmare to defend. When he makes up his mind that he's going to put the ball down and attack the paint area. The power, the athleticism, the grace, and the skill. And this one has to be so satisfying for LeBron James. He missed the playoffs last year because of the injury during the season. Lakers did not make it. There was talk about other players surpassing him as the best player in basketball. Great start, great charge. James goes to the rim once again, lays it up and in, and he's in double figures. And a timeout called by Eric Spalstrom as the Lakers go up a dozen. LeBron James caps off his 17th year with a triple-double in an NBA championship clincher. 28 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists. The Lakers won 27 away. All this time in the bubble ends up with what they all set out for as their number one and only goal. LeBron is thinking, I promise this guy this. He's won now with the Miami Heat, with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Los Angeles Lakers. As has his teammate Danny Green, also his third championship with three different teams. You guys, come take the trophy. GD, it has been a decade of ups and downs to get to this moment right here with these guys. I'm so damn proud of this team. World champions! And I have a feeling that this finals MVP is going to have a trophy named after him one day. The finals MVP is LeBron James. We just want our respect. Rob wants his respect. Coach Vogel wanted his respect. Our organization wants their respect. Laker Nation wants their respect. And I want my damn respect too.