Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has been in the NBA for so long that he’s seen the game evolve multiple times.
James started his career with a more traditional style of play focused on the paint and mid-range before teams started to introduce more 3-point shooting and pace. LeBron adapted well to the faster style of play as well as the downsizing of teams across the board as they embraced small-ball, but the game has shifted back to the bigs.
Players like Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo make it almost a necessity to have a quality big man and depth behind them to win a championship. James knows this all too well as the Lakers were bounced out of the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs because they were severely undersized compared to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
When it comes to the future of the league, James believes it’ll come down to whether or not teams are able to find players with as much size, skill and versatility as San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, via his “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash:
The future of the game is versatility and everyone wants a Wemby. pic.twitter.com/lhmYFjtHLf
— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) July 15, 2025
In the video, James recalls filming an episode of “The Shop” live with Wembanyama and noted that the Spurs big man may have gotten taller this offseason. James goes on to explain how the game continually evolves and that it’s no longer about having a “Big 3” but rather having depth and players with versatility to do multiple things on the court.
Wembanyama is the perfect example of where the game is going as the superstar us able to shoot it from outside while still being able to protect the paint on the other end. With his size and length, Wembanyama can shoot over any defender while simultaneously shutting off the painted area.
James joked that Wembanyama could send him into early retirement, but the truth of the matter is that the young star should quickly take over the mantle as best player in the NBA. Wembanyama is one of the few players who have no ceiling and it’ll be exciting to see what he eventually becomes.
Victor Wembanyama believes LeBron James is most underrated player in NBA
There is a lot of mutual respect between LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama as the two understood what it means to be the face of a franchise. Wembanyama understands what it means to play against someone like James and he noted that he believes the Lakers star is the most underrated player in the NBA.
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