LeBron James Reportedly Had Targeted Smoke For Kawhi Leonard

BYAlexander Cole13.0K Views
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LeBron James
LeBron James wanted to make sure people know he is still the king.

LeBron James will go down as one of the best basketball players to ever walk onto an NBA court. Having said that, there have been discussions over the last couple of years in regards to how badly he wants to win a fourth championship. Some think the King has gone soft in his old age although his teammates would certainly disagree with this notion. 

Earlier in the season, LeBron was being dominated by Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers. It was speculated that LeBron didn't want the smoke with Kawhi and that he would rather guard someone else. In a recent report from LZ Granderson of the Los Angeles Times, Lakers assistant coach Phil handy spoke about LeBron and how he was targeting Kawhi prior to Sunday's win. In the end, the strategy worked out as the Lakers won convincingly.

LeBron James Reportedly Had Targeted Smoke For Kawhi Leonard
Harry How/Getty Images

“People forget what he gets like after the All-Star break; he’s a different guy,” Handy said. “He’s preparing himself for that — that’s what you saw today and Milwaukee, you see him saying ‘Let me get myself and help my team in the right frame of mind.’ So for him diving on the floor for loose balls and taking the challenge defensively, that’s what you see. Last night I texted LeBron and asked him who he wanted to guard and he texted back, ‘I’m guarding Kawhi [Leonard].’ ”

LeBron and Kawhi could be on track for a playoff matchup and if this were to happen, we can only imagine what kind of narratives would come from it all. If this were the case, who do you think would win? Let us know in the comments.


About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!
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