Asked if captains’ picks for All-Star Game rosters should be made public, LeBron James responded with a loaded answer.
“Some things could be held private, like my conversation with Lonzo,” James said after Saturday’s shootaround. “Everything doesn’t need to be said and people find out. There should be some type of privacy. So I’m OK with it.”
Clearly, James was not happy that a hot mic picked up his brief conversation with Lonzo Ball after the Cavs’ win over the Lakers on Thursday.
As it turns out, James was actually offering Ball words of encouragement.
“Find your zone and just stay [expletive] locked in,” James said to Ball.
“The media is going to ask you what I told you right now,” James told Ball. “Tell them nothing. Just be aggressive every single day. It’s white noise to you. That’s all it is. Alright? Let’s go.”
As for the new All-Star format, doesn’t think possibly playing against teammates at the All-Star Game would upset locker room chemistry.
“We’re all grown men,” James said. “It doesn’t stop their paycheck from coming. It won’t stop you from playing time once the season starts.”
