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In the last two decades of the NBA, very few players have dominated the game like LeBron James. There is no aspect of the game he hasn't mastered; he's an excellent scorer, an incredible playmaker and a dominant rebounder. The LA Lakers star has developed the skills needed to dominate both offensively and defensively.
A ferociously strong and fast player, James has all the attributes to win games and overwhelm opponents. However, what makes him a truly exceptional NBA player is his high basketball IQ.
In fact, it would not be a stretch to call him the smartest player in the league. The kind of intelligence he possesses has impressed many. On that note, here are three reasons why LeBron James is the smartest player in the NBA:
#3 LeBron James' ability to read rival teams' game plans
LeBron James, a 17-time All-Star, is amongst the best in his conference. King James has played 18 seasons in the league. So he has essentially been one of the best in his conference almost every season of his illustrious career.
To become a player of this caliber, an individual must give it their all. They need to understand and counter plays set by opponents as efficiently as possible.
This is what is expected from a player leading a franchise. But LeBron has always gone beyond what is expected of him. He is inherently capable of figuring out the game plans set by other coaches and deciphering the means to counter them.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, James shared an incident from an All-Star game, saying:
"They switched out on AD [Anthony Davis], and two guys went to AD, so Kawhi (Leonard) went directly to James (Harden). "(Harden) drove the baseline and threw it to CP (Chris Paul) in the corner. And then CP drove middle, kicked it back to me, and they were scrambled defensively."
He continued: "For a second, I was about to go one-on-one, which you saw in the picture that I posted with me and Giannis (Antetokounmpo). But then when I saw that Kyle Lowry was on Anthony...When I saw Kyle on AD, we made eye contact, and I just knew he was gonna duck in. And it was just a bang-bang play right there."
#2 LeBron James studies his opponents thoroughly
LeBron James doesn't leave anything to luck or chance. He is a player who believes in preparation, and he is always prepared to win. However, preparation in the game of basketball involves an in-depth study of opponents' strengths and weaknesses. That is something James does meticulously.
The four-time NBA champion has pretty much won everything possible in the league.
Even though his hunger to win more remains intact, very few, except for Skip Bayless, can question his accomplishments. But LeBron James remains an eager learner despite his achievements. He does his homework on every single player regardless of whether they are star players or rookies.
Shedding more light on this aspect of James, Iman Shumpert, a former New York Knicks player. said about his former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate's intelligence.
"There were times where you've got somebody who has been red-hot, and they're running it off, and we're like, 'Um, the scouting report said...', and he'd be like, 'Yeah, but I let him shoot that because in the left corner he only shoots 26 percent. He shoots 46 percent from three, but he only shoots 26 percent from the left corner.
Iman continued: "And you'd be like, 'Yes sir.'... He made me feel like I didn't do my homework."
#1 LeBron James is constantly adapting his style of play
One thing that often goes underappreciated about LeBron James is his ability to adapt. Adapting is not an innate skill. It requires a deep understanding of your flaws and then implementing the right approach to eliminate them.
Over the last few seasons, it has been apparent that the aging King is not as strong or fast as he was during his time with the Miami Heat or the Cavs. It isn't that he isn't fast or strong anymore; James definitely possesses these attributes. But during his peak, he was even more capable physically than he'd now.
Even as these physical traits have become less dominant, LeBron James has adapted new ways to stay ahead of the competition. He is arguably one of the best playmakers in the league. Especially during his time with the LA Lakers, James has become an even better feeder, and has increased his output from downtown.
