When Collin Sexton was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, one of the first few words that came out of his mouth was “LeBron James.” Little did the Cavs guard know that James would leave for the Los Angeles Lakers a few weeks later.
Chris Forsberg of ESPN asked several players what they thought of James’ move to the Lakers. Upon being drafted, Sexton was seemingly recruiting James to stay with the Cavaliers. But things didn’t go that way as anticipated. And Sexton quickly accepted the reality:
“Nothing. I just understood it was time for me and my teammates to step up. Make sure we’re all good and then continue to work hard and get better.”
Sexton’s tone varies starkly from before. The joy in his eyes was clear on draft night: he was excited to team up with one of the greats. You can’t blame the 19-year-old point guard. It is every kid’s dream to play alongside their heroes.
But Sexton’s entry to the Cavaliers couldn’t have been more untimely. At this point in his career, James is salvaging every opportunity at winning a few more rings. And his final year with the wine and gold proved that the team isn’t equipped enough to beat the powerhouse Golden State Warriors.
But Sexton need not worry about the missed opportunity. The Cavaliers sans James are still a team loaded with veterans — players who will guide him as he starts a brand new journey in the NBA.