Brian Windhorst took his reporting career to new heights when he established a seemingly close relationship with LeBron James years ago. It has always seemed like Windhorst has the inside track on what LeBron’s next move will be, but that may no longer be the case.
Windhorst was asked about his relationship with James during a recent appearance on the “Sports Illustrated Media Podcast” with Jimmy Traina. He made a somewhat surprising revelation.
“I haven’t really communicated with him much at all in the last few years,” Windhorst said. “First of all, the pandemic happened so we weren’t doing in-person interviews. In years past I’ve messaged with him, but we’ve both kind of moved on. LeBron doesn’t have personal relationships like that with reporters. He hasn’t in a long time.”
Windhorst was a beat writer in Cleveland when LeBron first got to the NBA with the Cavaliers. Windhorst then joined ESPN in 2010 when James left the Cavs to sign with the Miami Heat. The NBA insider and LeBron both attended the same high school, St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, in Akron. While Windhorst said James is still friendly with him, it sounds like his access to LeBron has been limited since LeBron signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“In LA, there’s so much media there. I would talk to him in the locker room (before). I didn’t go over to his house to have wine and cigars,” Windhorst added. “I talked to him in the locker room and the hallways for two decades. So that’s sort of cut off, and just, frankly, the Lakers haven’t been that relevant of a team.”
You can hear more from Windhorst at around the 25-minute mark below:
Windhorst still offers plenty of attention-worthy information about LeBron, but he is now one of the best and most connected reporters in the NBA. Any inside scoop he has about James is not necessarily the result of his unique relationship with the future Hall of Famer — at least not anymore.
H/T Lakers Daily
