When LeBron James retires from the NBA as a player, he may continue to be a major figure in the league in other ways, and ownership is one of the avenues the Los Angeles Lakers superstar has mentioned multiple times.
But if he wants to become a head coach, he may need to do some convincing.
In an NBA general manager poll (conducted by NBA.com), when respondents were asked to pick which current player will ultimately become the best head coach, James received no love.
Golden State Warriors veteran Chris Paul leads the poll, receiving 20% of the vote.
Which current player could one day be the best head coach?
1. Chris Paul, Golden State Warriors – 20%
T-2. Mike Conley, Minnesota – 13%
T-2. Garrett Temple, Toronto – 13%
4. TJ McConnell, Indiana – 10%
T-5. Zhu Holiday, Boston – 7%
T-5. Fred VanVleet, Houston – 7%
» Also receiving votes: Jose Alvarado, New Orleans; Desmond Bane, Memphis; Jalen Brunson, New York; Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana; Nikola Jokic, Denver; Tyus Jones, Washington; Patty Mills, Atlanta; Mount Morris, Detroit; Grant Williams, Dallas
» Last year: Chris Paul – 32%
Regardless of how the polls turn out, James may actually have a chance at becoming an NBA head coach if he wants to go that route. His resume, reputation and basketball IQ are just a few of the reasons.
One also has to imagine a team jumping at the chance to add one of the greatest players of all time to its organization, as the positive buzz the move would bring.
However, James’ focus appears to be ownership, with the future Hall of Famer seemingly toying with the idea of acquiring a Las Vegas expansion team in the future.
For now, he will continue to focus on his career. After making deep progress in the 2022-23 playoffs, many expect his Lakers to once again make a splash in the Western Conference this season.
The 19-time All-Star remains one of the league’s top players. Last season, he averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game, shooting 50.0% from the field and 32.1% from beyond the three-point line.
While availability issues have begun to become a more common concern for James in recent years, the veteran still has more to offer, and the Lakers have plans in place to keep him fresh this season.
Los Angeles will begin their 2023-24 season later this month against the Denver Nuggets, who knocked them out of the playoffs in last season’s Western Conference Finals.