There have been some great players throughout the history of the NBA. Michael Jordan is the first one that comes to mind, followed by others like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, and Kobe Bryant, who recently announced his plans to retire at the end of this season.
When asked about what James Jones brings to the team, LeBron James gave the most unlikely answer.
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LeBron spoke to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin about James Jones.
“He’s my favorite player of all time.
“I told J.J., as long as I’m playing, he’s going to be around,” James said. “He’s not allowed to stop playing basketball. So, I’m going to make sure I got a roster spot for him. I love him. He’s the greatest teammate I’ve ever had.”
LeBron has been playing alongside Jones since he arrived in Miami back in the 2010-11 season. Since then, Jones has never left his side. The 13-year sharpshooter has seen his playing time increase and diminish throughout his career, but one thing has been steady: the ability knock down three-pointers when called upon. Don’t let his 5.5 points per game for his career fool you. He can light it up when given the chance.
These comments from LeBron came after Jones went on a scoring burst against the Magic earlier this week. He scored 14 points in the fourth on 5-5 from the field, including 4-4 from downtown and a long jumper with his foot right on the line.
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LeBron wasn’t the only one raving about Jones. Kevin Love opened up about his favorite experiences with Jones.
“I go to him with everything,” said Love. “Whether it’s the game, personal life, we talk about everything. He’s a guy, I’m always just picking his brain.
“If you were in school, he’d be the guy to sit next to in class. So I sit next to him on the plane, I pick his brain in the locker room. I pick his brain about basketball. I pick his brain about my family. Everything. He’s probably one of, if not, my best friend in the league.”
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J.R. Smith also spoke out about James Jones consistency, which is part of the reason why he’s one of the best players in the Cavaliers’ locker room despite his lack of playing time.
“I can see the consistency in him every single day,” J.R. Smith said. “He comes in, works hard. Whether he’s playing 20 minutes or he don’t play at all, he’s very consistent on who he is. He’s content on who he is as a player and a person.
“So, if there is anybody to look up to as a veteran, it’s definitely ‘Champ.'”