Richard Jefferson began his NBA career with the former New Jersey Nets. Later, he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he had to deal with LeBron James in several games. He recently spoke about it and made it very clear how he felt playing alongside the king of the court.
When James was with the Cavs, they won their first championship in over 50 years in 2016. In fact, that year is considered the greatest championship run in NBA history. It was truly spectacular how LeBron came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors.
A very complex teammate
According to a report from Athlonsports, Richard Jefferson struggled to adapt to James’s playing style. He actually finds it extremely challenging to play with him due to the pressure to perform and the lack of touches other players get.
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“Playing with LeBron sucks because you’re trying to win a championship. He’s one of the most competitive human beings in the history of American sports—and sports in general. It sucks when you show up and he’s already been practicing for four hours, and you’re like, ‘oh.’ When he’s watching a film and you mess up a play, and he says, ‘son of a b…, what are you doing?’” Richard Jefferson said.
Role players carry a heavy burden when stars like James are on the team. Fans always expect a flawless performance worthy of championships. However, for someone like Jefferson, it wasn’t too difficult. Once he adapted to the king, he helped bring glory to Cleveland.
