Former Lakers forward says playing with LeBron James is like driving a Tesla or dieting with a chef

The experience of playing with LeBron James has been compared to a lot of things throughout his long career, but former Los Angeles Lakers forward Stanley Johnson had some unique thoughts on the experience.

Johnson and James are Lakers teammates in the 2021-22 season. The 27-year-old played last season with the San Antonio Spurs and is currently not in the NBA.

He compared playing with James to driving a Tesla, which resonated because electric cars are known to have self-driving capabilities — just sit back and it will take people where they want to go. It’s also correct to equate the experience to having a chef help while watching a meal, as James has proven more than capable of mixing ingredients and enhancing the performance of his teammates.

James is 38 years old and entering his 21st season in the NBA, and he shows no signs of slowing down, remaining one of the best players in the league even in the latter stages of his career. The superstar has played 11 times this season, averaging 24.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

Although the Lakers have stated they plan to manage James’ workload more carefully this season, he’s averaging nearly 34 minutes per game so far. Multiple injuries to other Lakers have forced him to take on a larger role than expected as the team has struggled to find a solid footing after a 6-6 start to the 2023-24 NBA season.

That .500 record — which includes three straight wins and three straight losses — comes into Friday’s game at the Portland Trail Blazers.

Among injured players, the Lakers will likely be without Gabe Vincent, who reportedly underwent platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment for his injured knee and will be reevaluated in two weeks. Despite joining the Lakers as a free agent this past offseason, the 27-year-old may be on the move again as it has been reported that the team may be looking to acquire Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls.

James has been known to provide significant input in the past on which players he wants to play with and which players he doesn’t, much like a chef wants specific elements in a meal.