LeBron James Talks To Everyone Inside The Bubble, From Security To Opposing Players

Some superstars have an air of superiority about them.

But inside the 22-team NBA bubble at Walt Disney World in Orlando, the biggest superstar of them all has made a point of blending in with the other 300 players.

LeBron James may be a three-time NBA champion and a four-time MVP, but around campus he's apparently just one of the guys.

"He's pretty much been the same 'Bron here that he's always been," Quinn Cook said in a video conference call on Thursday. "Very outgoing, speaks to everybody, not just his team. Speaks to everybody in the league, security guards, everybody. A guy of that stature, a guy with that type of platform doesn't have to do that. But he makes everyone feel special."

Lakers coach Frank Vogel added that James consistently chooses to spend time with his teammates, something that goes a long way in building chemistry.

"He's a lot of fun, to be honest," Vogel said. "I commend him. For someone of his stature to just be one of the guys, hanging out at the little outdoor area that we have here at the hotel at the bubble. A lot of players are grabbing dinners and going back up to their rooms, and LeBron's sitting down there with his teammates. I think he really enjoys our group."

The Lakers, who are atop the Western Conference with a record of 49-14, have long credited their success this season to their strong rapport.

Of course, that starts with James.

He invited his teammates to his 35th birthday party in Los Angeles in December. He's mentored Cook, who called James his big brother and said the two are inseparable in January. He's made Dwight Howard feel comfortable and at home in the locker room, creating a laid back atmosphere where guys are encouraged to play music and be themselves. He's fostered a close friendship with Anthony Davis, having him over for dinners with his family and sharing late night glasses of wine with him after games.

James said in a recent conference call that even though he was apart from his teammates for four months after the season was paused March 11 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it felt as though no time had passed when they were reunited last Thursday for their flight to Orlando.

"We got back together and it feels like we’ve been together for years, even though this is our first year together," James said. "But it feels like we’ve been together for years and it’s just happy to see all my brothers and doing what we love to do best and that’s playing the game of basketball and doing it for one another."

James likened the bubble atmosphere to AAU club basketball.

"When I was growing up, we had AAU days and then once the AAU season is over, you kind of go back to your respective cities and things of that nature," James said. "And then AAU season starts back up again that next spring and it’s like you never left. And that’s what kind of the feeling is."

James, who is in his 17th season in the league, is trying to lead the Lakers to their first championship since 2010. He was having an MVP-caliber season before the NBA was suspended, averaging a league-leading 10.6 assists, 25.7 points and 7.9 rebounds a game.

But the 35-year-old acknowledged on the Road Trippin' podcast in March that the hiatus was a shock to his system, adding, "My body when we stopped playing was asking me, 'What the hell are you doing?'"

However, according to Vogel, James hasn't missed a beat.

The Lakers began team practices Saturday and Vogel said James looks "outstanding."

"It's really remarkable how well he's been able to stay in shape, stay ready, to be sharp," Vogel said. "It's as if there wasn't a layoff at all. He's playing at a very high level."

For Cook, James is the ultimate leader.

He commands respect through both his play and his actions.

"[He] cares about everyone and [is] one of the hardest workers you'll ever see," Cook said. "So he's setting the tone for us not only on the court but off the court."