Patrick Beverley has surprising comments about rival LeBron James

Jan 21, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James feels like one of Patrick Beverley’s biggest personal rivals, but you wouldn’t know it based on some comments Beverley made this week.

Appearing recently on ESPN’s “NBA Today,” the Minnesota Timberwolves guard Beverley named the one NBA superstar he would most like to play with. Surprisingly enough, Beverley picked James, adding that it was an “easy” decision.

Could we see Bron and Pat Bev on the same team some day? 👀 pic.twitter.com/4L7453mFVn

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 12, 2022

On the surface at least, the Beverley-James relationship has been nothing but animosity over the last several seasons. Beverley made no secret of his disdain for James when the two both used to play in Los Angeles, and the clowning continued during the three times that Beverley’s Timberwolves blew out James’ Lakers this season. James even seemed to fire back at Beverley with a dig on social media last month.

But it turns out that this may all just be gamesmanship and competitiveness with no real bad blood existing between James and Beverley. After all, that is just who Beverley is with everybody he faces in the NBA — an elite troll.