JJ Redick Praised LeBron James for Unprecedented Diving Move in Lakers OT Win

The 41-year-old is still bringing out new tricks in his 23rd NBA season.

LeBron James made a full extension dive to get a crucial rebound. | Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times

JJ Redick’s been watching LeBron James play basketball for decades at this point. There’s hardly anything he hasn’t seen James do on the court. The 41-year-old forward proved his Lakers coach wrong on Saturday night in the team’s 127–125 overtime win over the Nuggets.

With just under a minute left in regulation, Denver led Los Angeles by one point. After the Nuggets’ Cameron Johnson hit the rim on a three-point attempt to take an even bigger lead, players on both teams fought to get the crucial rebound. It was James in the end who won that battle—and he had to make a heroic dive in the process.

James dove for the ball, throwing his entire body in the air like Superman to capture the ball in his hands. He laid on the floor for a short time after, appearing to be in a little pain from falling on the court. But his move was successful and helped the Lakers tie the game to send it into overtime.

Redick admitted after the game that this diving move is something he’s never seen James do in his 26 years of watching him play basketball.

“I told him after the game in 23 years of watching you play in the NBA and the three years I watched you play in high school I never saw you make a full out extension dive like that. And he said ‘You're right, I've never done that,’” Redick said in his post-game press conference. “It's awesome. I know he'll feel that tomorrow. That's a winning play.”

JJ on Lebron diving for the ball:

"I told him after the game in 23 years of watching you play in the NBA and the 3 years I watched you play in high school I never saw you make a full out extension dive like that and he said you're right I've never done that. It's awesome. I know… https://t.co/qEIGiou9jg pic.twitter.com/m0VvPgbcJQ

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) March 15, 2026

I guess Redick was right to call James a “superhero” before he made his 23rd NBA season debut back in the fall. James continues to accomplish new things on the court each and every year to set some new precedents.

James compliments Luka Dončić’s game winner vs. Nuggets

Thanks to Austin Reaves, Los Angeles and the Nuggets’ game headed into overtime on Saturday night in a heated Western Conference matchup. Overtime remained close the entire time, with the lead going back and forth between the teams. Guard Luka Dončić was the Lakers’ hero in the end, though, as he made a two-point shot with half a second remaining on the clock to take the lead. He then blocked Denver guard Tim Hardaway Jr.’s three-point attempt to officially end the game and seal the victory for the Lakers.

James was very complimentary of his teammate when speaking to reporters after the game.

“Just a big-time shot by a f------  generational player,” James said after the game in the locker room. “We wanted the last shot. We wanted to put the ball in our guy's hands. ... So, it's going to be just the first of many game winners like that for him and in a Lakers uniform.”

“Just a big-time shot by a f---ing  generational player. ... We wanted the last shot. We wanted to put the ball in our guy's hands. So, it's going to be just the first of many game winners like that for him and in a Lakers uniform.” - LeBron James on Luka Doncic’s game winner pic.twitter.com/UhTsEIovS6

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 15, 2026

Los Angeles now has a 42–25 record and jumped up to the third seed in the Western Conference because of the win. The Nuggets are 41–27 and sit in the sixth position with the regular season dwindling down.

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