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LeBron James and the Lakers will take on the Knicks on Sunday.
If Sunday is LeBron James’ final game as a professional basketball player at Madison Square Garden, former Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike Brown will be in the building — though not necessarily supporting him.
The New York Knicks coach opened up about James and the Lakers coming to town Sunday, in what could be James’ final game at the legendary World’s Most Famous Arena.
James is, of course, 41 and is in the final season of a two-year, $101 million contract he signed before the 2024-25 season. He is still playing at a high level, averaging the third-most points (21.9) and minutes (33.1) per game on the Lakers.
Still, James is just 20 games short of breaking the NBA record for career games played and has already set the league record for points and seasons played. That leaves him not much left to accomplish in his career.
LeBron James Is One Of The Smartest Guys Mike Brown Has Been Around
James has been a household name since he was a teenager at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, yet the fact that he has turned his genius-caliber skill into the undisputed greatest player in NBA history is a testament to his work ethic, said his former coach.
“He’s got to be, if not the smartest guy I’ve been around in terms of fuel and stuff, he’s top-three,” Brown said Friday night after the Knicks 127-97 win over the Portland Trail Blazers at MSG. “Unbelievable talent. Unbelievable human being. He’s done a lot for the community. He’s done a lot for the NBA.”
Brown, like James, hails from Ohio and was James’ head coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers for five years, when together they went to the 2007 NBA Finals but lost to the San Antonio Spurs. James went to the Miami Heat in 2010, and Brown took over the Lakers in 2011-12 for just 71 games, before he was let go five games into the 2012-13 season.
Still, he and James have remained close, even though their paths crossed in the NBA Finals in consecutive years in 2016-17 and 2017-18 when Brown’s Golden State Warriors defeated James and the Cavs.
Mike Brown: LeBron James Has Earned The Right To Play As Long As He Wants
For Lakers fans fretting about James calling it a career after this season, Brown pumped the brakes on this season being the end.
“He’s earned the right to play as long as he wants,” Brown said. “He’s definitely doing it, and he’s doing it at a high level.”
Still, all eyes will be on New York just in case Sunday is his final game at MSG. Despite never playing in New York, James has dominated the Big Apple, averaging 28 points, 7.4 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game over 32 games at the Garden in his legendary career.
The Lakers have not lost a game at MSG that LeBron has played in and have won three straight in New York. Last year, James led the Lakers with 33 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in their 128-112 win over the Knicks on Feb. 1 — mere hours before LA consummated the Anthony Davis-for-Luka Doncic trade.