Super Bowl Sunday might be all about the gridiron, but even the NBA couldn’t escape the buzz. And when LeBron James is courtside, you know the cameras - and the questions - are coming his way.
Fresh off a strong win over the Golden State Warriors, LeBron reminded everyone he’s still got plenty left in the tank. He dropped 20 points and looked every bit the seasoned leader the Lakers need. But when ESPN's Lisa Salters tried to pivot the postgame moment into a little Super Bowl banter, LeBron wasn’t biting.
“Happy Super Bowl Sunday to everybody,” he said with a grin.
Salters pressed him: “Who you got?”
LeBron, ever the media-savvy vet, sidestepped the trap with a chuckle: “Nah, people gonna be mad at me if I pick a team.”
She pushed again: “Come on, you gotta pick somebody.”
And James, with a classic LeBron-ism, delivered the punchline: “I got the winner.”
It was a light moment, a bit of levity from a guy who’s been in the spotlight for two decades and knows exactly how to play the game - both on and off the court.
But beyond the jokes, there’s a more serious subplot unfolding in L.A.
LeBron’s future has been under the microscope all season long. At 39 and in his 21st NBA campaign, every game feels like a chapter in what could be the final stretch of a legendary career. And while he’s still producing - his 20-point effort against the Warriors was another reminder that his floor remains remarkably high - questions about whether he’ll return for a 24th season continue to swirl.
The Lakers, meanwhile, have been on a rollercoaster. They opened the season looking like a real threat in the West.
At one point, they climbed to the No. 3 seed. But injuries and inconsistency have taken their toll, and they’ve slipped to No. 5 in the standings after falling as low as No.
LeBron didn’t sugarcoat the reality.
“I like this group. But we gotta continue to get better.
And that’s good. We should want to get better - it’s only Feb. 1,” he said.
“But we’re gonna continue to get better and better. It’s a tough Western Conference, it’s a tough league, and like I said, it’s been tough all season dealing with injuries and guys in and guys out.”
He also pointed to the absence of their All-Star two-guard - a not-so-subtle nod to Austin Reaves - as a key factor in the team’s recent struggles. “Unfortunately, our All-Star two guard has been out for a minute,” he added.
That’s been the theme all year: flashes of potential, derailed by health setbacks and lineup instability. The Lakers have the talent. The question is whether they can stay on the floor long enough to build the kind of rhythm that wins playoff series.
As for LeBron, he’s still anchoring the team with the same basketball IQ and leadership that’s defined his career. But how long can he keep this up? That’s the million-dollar question in L.A. right now.
For now, he’s keeping it light, dodging Super Bowl predictions and keeping the focus on what he can control - helping the Lakers find their groove in a brutal Western Conference. But make no mistake: the clock is ticking, and every game from here on out matters just a little more.