Ever since the first speculation linking him to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, it seems like every move LeBron James has made, from speaking with Lonzo Ball to buying multiple homes in the L.A. area, has been dissected ad nauseam.
So far, though, there has been a lack of tangible information on James’ intentions, which has led to a yo-yo-ing of reports painting him as both “a longshot” to end up on the Lakers and considering teaming up with Nerlens Noel there.
It’s enough conflicting information to make everyone’s head spin. But even if it seems like James is enjoying all of this attention or the reaction he can get by simply doing things like praising and giving confidence to Ball, he says he actually isn’t paying attention to all of the breathless speculation about his intentions, via Tania Ganguli of the L.A. Times:
“I don’t see the reaction because I don’t get involved in it. I don’t do it to get a reaction. I do it because he’s said over and over since he was growing up who he modeled his game after. And who was his favorite player. It was me, and I was humbled by that. So, me wishing him happy birthday was kind of the salute back to him. I see all the stupid noise that happens. I can’t buy a place in L.A., I can’t live in L.A. It’s funny noise. But I don’t get involved in it. When I post things I don’t look at comments. I’m so far removed of the white noise, and the noise doesn’t matter to me.”
James’ response is the all-time classic, ‘I’m not annoyed, I just think it’s funny’ quote. Even if it is easy to see how the constant questioning and micro-analyzing his every move could quickly become tiresome.
However, James also knows he’s in the spotlight. He’s smart enough to know by now what is going to happen when he does things like talk up Ball’s game or buying a second mansion in Los Angeles.
That’s not to say James should live his life differently, but he also has to know what’s going to happen when he does this stuff. It sounds like the way James is dealing with it now is by trying to ignore it, and the good news for him is that now that the Lakers only have one more game against the Cavaliers this season.
The bad news is that the game is in Los Angeles and right towards the end of the year, meaning he’ll have to be ready for some more free agency noise before it becomes deafening in the offseason.
Good thing he’s getting so good at not paying attention.
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