"Damn net was coming in and out after every dunk" - Tim Hardaway Jr. dubs 2012 LeBron James as best version of King James

LeBron James has been in the NBA for so long that people have started to pick which version was the best and most dominant. There are those who choose the 2018 version of James, when he almost single-handedly carried the Cleveland Cavaliers, but that's not what Tim Hardaway Jr. chose as the best version.

Hardaway has been in the league since 2013, but he was able to experience what it's like to play against LeBron while he was with the Miami Heat. On the "Tidal League" podcast, he was asked to pick between the 2012 and the 2018 versions of James.

"2012, I was a Miami Heat fan at the time, I'm not going with 2018," Hardaway said. "I was in college, and I was still a Heat fan at the time. D-Wade was my favorite player. I watched Miami.

"When Bron was catching lob after lob, when he was dunking the ball and the d*** net was coming in and out after every dunk? I'm picking 2012 Bron."

Many people share the same sentiment as Hardaway. James was at the top of his game at the time, which made his stint with the Heat iconic. The four-time MVP led the team to four straight trips to the NBA Finals, winning two trophies along the way.

The 2011-12 version of James was a man on a mission. He averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists to win his third MVP award. Miami ended the season with a 46-20 record, which was good enough for second place in the Eastern Conference. That's also the same season he won his first championship.

Hardaway, on the other hand, was selected by the New York Knicks with the 24th pick in 2013. He wasn't able to witness James' campaign in 2011-12 but was still fortunate enough to play against him for the next 10 years.

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LeBron James to release a children's book in 2024

LeBron James is an extremely busy icon. As he tries to win his fifth ring, he's also got other projects going. He recently posted on X about his upcoming project, which is a children's book. This is the follow-up to his "I Promise" and "We Are Family" books. The book is titled "I Am More Than" and was illustrated by Nina Mata.

"Coming to bookstores near you!! I Am More Than! 🙌🏾😁 Our next book is about believing in yourself and all the amazing things you’re capable of, which NO ONE else can define for YOU. I hope ya'll feel inspired to be #MoreThan in this next one." James posted.

LeBron is full of surprises, and fans are excited to see his future projects.