Former Teammate Makes Blunt Statement About LeBron James

Mario Chalmers and Shaquille O'Neal spoke about Lakers star LeBron James.

Jan 15, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) wipes his face while walking down the court during the second half against the Orlando Magic at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports / Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James is widely seen as the best player of his era.

However, there has always been a debate about how great he ranks all time (in terms of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and others).

Recently, Mario Chalmers and Shaquille O'Neal spoke about their former teammate (via The Big Podcast).

O'Neal: "I've never really heard any player say they fear LeBron."

Chalmers: "I didn't think players really feared LeBron like they did Jordan... At the end of the day, Bron has been through so much that he wanted to be liked."

“I didn’t think players really fear LeBron like they did Jordan” -Mario Chalmers pic.twitter.com/PywqsFW17Q

— The Big Podcast (@bigpodwithshaq) August 30, 2024

Chalmers was teammates with James for four seasons on the Miami Heat.

The Heat made the NBA Finals in all four years and won two titles.

In addition, Chalmers was a key role player who averaged 9.8 points per contest while shooting 38.5% from the three-point range during the 2014 season.

Mar 18, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) and guard Mario Chalmers (15) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

James is clearly among the best five players to ever play in the NBA.

That said, many fans have always pointed out that he does not drive the same level of fear that Jordan and Bryant did in their competition.

Apr 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts during the second half in game three of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

On the other hand, no one has ever had the longevity of James.

At 39, he still remains among the best players in the NBA and is coming off a season where he made his 20th straight All-Star Game.

His career averages are 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.5 steals per contest while shooting 50.6% from the field and 34.8% from the three-point range.