In a recent episode of his newly launched podcast, “Mind the Game,” LeBron James, the NBA icon, explored the subject of influence in basketball, placing a spotlight on Stephen Curry and Allen Iverson as game changers.
“Steph and Allen Iverson are the two biggest influential guys in our game since I’ve been watching and covering it.”
– LeBron James
(Via @mindthegamepod / https://t.co/eMJVhkLIS5) pic.twitter.com/0dIpBZUcIh
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 19, 2024
The podcast, co-hosted by LeBron James and J.J. Redick, provides a rich narrative dissecting the strategic metamorphosis of NBA games.
It was here that Redick reminisced about the mantra back then, of being 19 points up by the start of the fourth quarter, and relying on starters to pull in the win.
This practice hardly finds a mention in the contemporary NBA landscape.
“I believe in ’08/09, whenever that little light-skinned f***** came in the league, he changed that whole narrative.
He single-handedly changed the ‘no lead is safe.’
It’s like Pat Mahomes right now.”
LeBron reveals his interpretation, attributing significant changes to Iverson and Curry”s influence.
According to him, these two figures have had the most significant impact on the NBA out of all the players he”s observed.
LeBron noted that most prospective basketball players won”t be able to envision themselves as James or Durant.
“When it comes to influence since I’ve been watching the game… Steph and Allen Iverson are the two biggest influential guys in our game since I’ve been watching and covering it.
One, they’re 6″3″/6″4,” [laughter], if you want to look on the back of the basketball card, you know you always a lot taller on the back of the back of the basketball card.
Allen Iverson and Steph., they were just so relatable, and kids felt like they could be them.
They were guys that was not always counted on, they were small in stature, and they just defied the odds.
And now you have Steph, who’s shooting over the Empire State Building.
Those two are the two most influential when you play the game, how they changed the game, and the [impact on] kids, those are two guys that you just wanted to watch every single night.”
.@kingjames and @jj_redick talk about Steph and AI’s unmatched influence on the game.
Full episode: https://t.co/U6VEagopwW pic.twitter.com/kq5rlfdtmm
— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) March 19, 2024
These two are blessed with physical advantages that far supersede the norm.
Aspiring to be Victor Wembanyama is equally challenging for the same reasons.
However, when it comes to Iverson and Curry, young players see themselves reflect in them, owing to their normal human size but extraordinary abilities.
Adding another dimension, LeBron shed light on Iverson”s impact off the basketball court.
Iverson introduced hip-hop culture to the NBA, thereby shifting the league”s atmosphere.
