For the first time in eight years, LeBron James is not participating in the NBA Finals. Instead, he’s beating 14-year-olds in 3-point shooting contests.
The contrast is a bit jarring when you think about it, but in James’ defense it’s not like he is roaming area gyms in Los Angeles looking for teenagers to dunk on. This particular incident took place at LA Classic Tournament, where James’ son, Bronny, was playing over the weekend.
A 14-year-old, Gabe Cupps, and teammate of Bronny apparently challenged James to a shooting contest during a break in the action. And James didn’t back down. The two exchange threes back and forth until Cupps misses. James does not.
It’s not surprising that a professional basketball player is better than a teen at shooting, but it’s nice that James reposted the Ball Is Life video and complimented Cupps for his guts and the performance he put up here. It takes some ice cold veins to have the courage to challenge a pro, let alone to shoot like that when the pressure’s on.
James called Cupps one of the best shooters of the 2023 recruiting class, and a video like this certainly makes him look the part. As for James, I’m sure he’d rather be playing real basketball right now, but his dad status continues to rise in one of the longest offseasons of his NBA career.
