LeBron James is one of the greatest players in basketball history, but he has also become polarizing over the last several years. While he continues to have his legion of fans who almost worship him, he also has lots of critics who harangue him, often in a hyperbolic fashion, for a number of things.
Former NBA big man Enes Freedom has been one of James’ harshest critics over the last few years. In the fall of 2019, he blasted the Los Angeles Lakers superstar for comments that were made about protestors in Hong Kong, and the other day, he was at it again.
He called James “the dictator of the NBA” while claiming that if someone goes “against his agenda,” that player will be traded. He also claimed that no one wants to play on the same team as James — other than his son Bronny.
Via Lakers Daily:
“He (the younger James) might be a good dude, but he’s not good enough to play in the NBA,” Freedom said. “The reason he got drafted is because of LeBron. The reason J.J. Redick is the coach is because of LeBron.”
The former big man also claimed the elder James always finds a scapegoat when a season isn’t successful.
“No other player wants to go play with LeBron,” Freedom said. “You had so many other free agents. … No one wanted to go play with him, because they know that it’s all about LeBron. They’re gonna get zero clout. … When the Lakers’ season fails, LeBron tries to find a player to blame, and he blamed the whole season on Russell Westbrook, so he is not a good teammate. Obviously, he runs the media, and he tries to control this narrative, but when you actually know and have a conversation inside of the NBA and its players, nobody wants to play with him.
“… When I see a dictator, I know it – LeBron is literally like the dictator of the NBA. He controls the media. He controls his narrative. If you go against his agenda, you get traded. Everybody knows it.”
There is certainly a feeling around the NBA that the younger James is a member of the Lakers only because of his father’s influence, whether it is true or not. He has struggled during summer league play so far, going just 7-of-31 from the field and 0-of-15 from 3-point range in four games.
The Lakers literally haven’t signed or traded for a single outside player so far this summer, other than the younger James and first-round draft pick Dalton Knecht. It has led to general manager Rob Pelinka being criticized yet again for what people see as roster mismanagement.
