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LOS ANGELES — LeBron James looked at reporters with confusion.
“Who am I bigger than?” James said after the Los Angeles Lakers’ 131-99 win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday.
The 38-year-old future Hall of Famer was just asked if it was weird to be older than the opposing head coach. When it was clarified that the question was about Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy, James had an interesting reaction.
“Am I older than the head coach?” James asked in a self-reflective tone. “Oh wow.”
He looked down, shook his head, and said, “Oh, my God.”
James then laughed and said: “I wasn’t even angry. That’s a good thing. You got me.”
Coincidentally, a few hours ago, Hardy was asked about James’ longevity in the league. After all the usual compliments – basketball smarts, overall skill set, etc. — On James, Hardy talks about his long career and how he impacted others in the league.
“The way he takes care of himself and plays hard every night is what we hope some of the guys in our program aspire to be — that kind of longevity,” Hardy said. “The commitment to his body has been well-documented. That’s what we try to Something to instill in the young players.”
He admits that having a career like James’ (or something similar) is a “pipe dream” for almost everyone, but there are lessons to be learned from his approach and the way he prepares.
“He’s the guy we’re competing against tonight; in some ways, he’s a role model for a lot of guys on our team,” Hardy said.
James proved that again on Tuesday. He became the first player in NBA history to score 39,000 points in a first half. He scored 17 points and dished out nine assists against the Utah Jazz.
Oh, and as for Hardy’s youth, the Jazz head coach wore a candy bracelet during Tuesday’s game. Why is this happening? Simple: his little girl made it for him.
“I have a four-year-old; she made it. And here we are,” he said with a laugh. “It made her happy. I had no control over my life.”