By Rory Carroll
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – LeBron James said he has nothing left to prove on the basketball court but is still excited about the upcoming NBA season, his 22nd overall and first playing alongside his teenage son Bronny.
The Los Angeles Lakers forward, a four-time NBA champion and the league’s all-time leading scorer, powered Team USA to the gold medal at the Paris Games this summer for his third Olympic title.
“Is there anything left for me to accomplish as a basketball player? No,” he told reporters at the first day of Lakers training camp on Tuesday.
“Everything else is extra credit. I’ll take it though. I love it. I love what I do. But I’ve got everything.”
James this season will realize his dream of playing with his 19-year-old son Bronny, who the Lakers selected with the 55th pick of this year’s NBA draft.
The elder James, who turns 40 in December, said it was “amazing” to share the floor with his son during Tuesday’s practice.
The Jameses will be playing under first time head coach JJ Redick, although LeBron said he will be “an extension of the coaching staff on the floor.”
“I’m going to lead by example,” he said.
“I’m going to lead with my voice. My voice is very commanding.”
LeBron said there is plenty for the Lakers to improve on after they suffered a first-round playoff defeat at the hands of the Denver Nuggets last season, singling out the need to be better in transition defense.
“We have to hold each other accountable, help each other, demand more out of each other,” he said when asked what it would take for the Lakers to be a top five defense in the league.
The Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves in their regular season opener on Oct. 17.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Michael Perry)
