If LeBron James wants to bring a championship to his home state, he will have to learn a new offensive system and get used to playing alongside a new collection of talent. LeBron will also need to get on the same page with David Blatt, an underrated basketball mind who has won handfuls of championships and awards as a coach overseas. According to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, James and Blatt are off to a solid start.
Berger reports that the Cavs have already been working long hours in an attempt to be as prepared as possible when the season tips off later this month. As of now, it sounds like LeBron is more prepared than anyone else.
At the end of the evening practice, Blatt blew his whistle and told the players to clear the court and get off their feet; it was a long day, with many more ahead in this team’s drive for the city of Cleveland’s first major pro sports championship in 50 years. (The NFL’s Browns are the city’s most recent title celebrants, in 1964.)
The coaching staff retreated to their evening meeting, which lasted 30 minutes or so. When they emerged, what they saw was heartening, if not particularly surprising: There was James on the practice floor with four teammates, marching them through the intricacies of Blatt’s offensive system from the perspective of each position, one through five. James had already mastered them all.
You don’t need an expert analyst to tell you the Cavs will go as far as LeBron can take them. We saw the way he elevated the level of play in Miami, and some would argue that James has more talent around him in Cleveland. If all goes to plan, Kyrie Irving could be considered one of the top-three point guards in the NBA by the end of the season.
Of course, it’s still very early. But the fact that LeBron is already educating teammates on an offense he just started learning is a positive sign.
