“Pressure? I don’t feel pressure” - Sasha Pavlovic reveals what LeBron James told him about his approach and mentality toward the game
LeBron James
© Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Sasha Pavlovic was never the best player on the court throughout his ten-year NBA career, but that didn’t stop him from putting together a strong career during that time. Pavlovic spent time with seven different organizations throughout his time in the league, but he may be best remembered for his role with the Cleveland Cavaliers when LeBron James was breaking into the league.
Pavlovic recalls playing alongside James with the Cavaliers
Pavlovic was selected 18 picks after James in the 2003 NBA Draft but found himself on the same team as James just one year later when the Charlotte Bobcats selected him in the 2004 expansion draft and promptly traded to the Cavaliers. Pavlovic and James would spend the next five seasons together, and they developed a close bond over time as they attempted to bring Cleveland a championship.
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Playing alongside a player like James can be somewhat intimidating, but at the time, James wasn’t the worldwide superstar he is today, but rather a young player trying to make a name for himself. Considering all the expectations he had surrounding him, it was safe to assume that LeBron would be stressed by the pressure he faced. But Pavlovic says that LeBron doesn’t know what pressure is, which is part of what makes him so good at basketball.
“I used to ask him ‘how do you not feel pressure, how do you get 30 every night?’ Because we all know all the teams are trying to stop him from getting 30 every night. And he’s like ‘pressure? I don’t feel pressure.’ It’s like when you say that word, it doesn’t exist to him. He’s so tough mentally, it’s amazing” - Sasha Pavlovic, Swish Cultures
Pavlovic provides an inside look at James’ mentality on the basketball court
James has faced a lot of pressure throughout his career, but he’s never been truly phased by it. Whether it be entering the NBA with sky-high expectations, switching teams and cultures on multiple occasions, or playing on the biggest stage you can in the NBA Finals on ten different occasions, James has faced tons of pressure, but he’s never managed to get taken down by it.
Pavlovic’s story here shows how James refuses to acknowledge pressure. Basketball can often be a mental game, and according to Pavlovic, that’s an area of the game that LeBron has conquered. If you feel pressure, sometimes it can affect how you play, but James ignores the concept of his pressure, and, well, his play speaks for itself.
You can’t argue with James’ strategy considering he will finish his career as at least one of the three best players to play this game, and it continues to help him in his quest to turn around the Los Angeles Lakers. You’d think he would feel some pressure after a slow start with L.A. this season, but once again, that hasn’t been the case, and it should be no surprise to see James and the Lakers slowly but surely turning their season around.
