Getty LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The NBA bubble in Orlando is a unique situation for a variety of reasons. But for Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, it’s providing a commodity he doesn’t have in his everyday life outside of the bubble — the freedom to walk around with peace of mind.
Celtics star guard Kemba Walker has been observing James in the bubble and shared some of his thoughts with Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report.
“Whenever you go downstairs, you’re going to see somebody,” Walker told Rooks. “Like, the other night, me and [Jason Tatum] were walking to get some food and we saw ‘Bron. We saw ‘Bron, J.R. [Smith], Jared Dudley and [Kuzma].
Kemba Walker speaks on the experience being around players like Bron in the NBA bubble. @TaylorRooks
“It’s very rare to see ‘Bron walking by himself and being comfortable. Like, I was telling somebody that he probably hasn’t done that since he was nine years old: being able to be so comfortable just walking around and not worrying about people coming up to him and being bothered asking for something. … Now he’s just regular, you know? Not regular, but he’s able to be comfortable and walk around comfortably, so I think that’s pretty cool.”
LeBron James Just ‘One of the Guys’ Inside Bubble
GettyAnthony Davis and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
James has been a superstar since his high school days, so Walker is right on his assessment that “The King” can’t walk around Los Angeles with any sense of normalcy. But as one of the most popular and successful athletes on earth, James has also built up quite the team around him during the season — from personal masseuse to chefs and everything in between. But according to TNT’s Chris Haynes, James is “roughing it” in Orlando, sending a message to his teammates that they’re in this together.
“LeBron is switching things up. On the campus, he’s doing things a little bit differently,” Haynes said on Thursday. “Sources told me he has not brought along his personal chef, his person masseuse, nor has he brought over his extended security team. He wants to make sure he’s going through all the rigors as his teammates living on this campus, to make sure he’s blending in and going through all the things they’re experiencing.
.@ChrisBHaynes joins #NBAonTNT to give an update from the NBA campus in Orlando.
“LeBron James was clearly trying to send a message that ‘we’re all in this together.’ And that is one of his forms of trying to show that he’s out there with them doing the same thing that they’re doing. And he’s eating the same exact food.”
James’ head coach Frank Vogel also praised him on how he’s been handling things off the court.
“He’s a lot of fun,” Vogel said. “I got to commend him for someone of his stature to be just one of the guys.”
LeBron James Focused on NBA Title With No Distractions
Of course players will miss their families and loved ones in the bubble, but it does do wonders for providing a singular focus of chasing a championship — something James is embracing.
“I’m just taking it all in. For me, I’m all about the process. I’m here for one goal and one goal only and that’s to win a championship,” James told reporters. “That’s to get better every single day. That’s my mindset. My mindset is to do that on the floor. My mindset off the floor is to continue to give education, continue to give guidance to my communities and communities around the world, in the inner city about how important our voice is, how important we are, and creating change.
“That is my main focus. I’m here to do nothing else besides that—play the game at high level, bring a championship back to L.A. hopefully and also continue to push the envelope on creating change for my people.”
READ NEXT: Charles Barkley Says Blazers Will Upset Lakers in First-Round