LeBron ayaw magsalita tungkol sa hinaharap pagkatapos ng playoff exit ng Lakers
LeBron James refused to be drawn on his future after the Los Angeles Lakers' playoff exit on Monday / MATTHEW STOCKMAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Tumangging magsalita ni LeBron James tungkol sa kaniyang NBA future, sa harap ng playoff exit ng Los Angeles Lakers makaraang matalo sa Denver Nuggets.
Muling nagpakita ng “superb performance” ang 39-anyos na NBA superstar na magkakaila sa kaniyang edad, sa pamamagitan ng 30 points, 11 assists at siyam na rebounds.
Ngunit hindi ito sumapat upang mapigilan ang pagkatalo ng Lakers sa Denver sa score na 108-106, at kumpletuhin ang isang 4-1 series victory na tumapos sa pag-asa ni James na makuha ang ika-lima niyang NBA championship ring sa “twilight” ng kaniyang career.
Isang taon na ang nakalipas, nagkaroon ng mga espekulasyon na magreretiro na si James makaraang talunin ng Denvers ang Lakers (4-0) sa Western Conference finals, kung saan kinumpirma niya sa mga mamamahayag na ikinukonsidera na niyang tumigil sa paglalaro.
Nitong Lunes, ang mga katanungan tungkol sa hinaharap ni James ang karamihan sa mga itinanong sa post-game press conference sa Denver, makaraan ang nakadidismayang pagtatapos ng 21st season ng isang “maningning na career.”
Nang tanungin kung ang kanilang pagkatalo ang magiging ‘final appearance’ niya sa Lakers uniform, ay ngumiti si James bago sumagot, “I’m not going to answer that. I’ve had not given serious thought on my next steps. I just want to get home to the family honestly.”
Si James, ay may natitira pang isang taon sa kasalukuyan niyang kontrata sa Lakers, ngunit napaulat na tila aalis ito ng mas maaga, na nangangahulugan na magiging malaya na siyang sumama sa ibang koponan.
Ayon pa sa kaniya, “I’ll start looking at the schedule. One of my boys is just trying to decide if he’s going to enter the Draft or go back to school, I’ve got another kid playing ball, my daughter’s playing volleyball. And my wife is doing so many great things. So it’s about family right now.”
Dagdag pa nito, “And then in a couple of months I gotta go to Vegas for (Olympics) training camp. So I’m gonna rest my body for USA Basketball. That’s kind of the initial thoughts.”
Una nang nabanggit ni James ang tungkol sa pagpapahaba ng kanyang career sa NBA, upang makapaglaro kasama ang kaniyang panganay na si Bronny James kung sakaling makapasok ito sa liga.
Ngunit pinawi niya ang posibilidad at iginiit na “hindi pa niya iyon napagtutuunan ng pansin.”
Sinabi ni James, “Obviously I’ve thought about it in the past but at the end of the day the kid has to do what he wants to do … he will decide what he wants to do and how he wants his career to go.”
Samantala, sinabi ng defensive stalwart ng Lakers na si Anthony Davis na wala siyang ideya kung ano ang maaaring ipasya ni James sa susunod na season.
Ayon kay Davis, “He’s been in this position numerous times in his career where he had to make a decision, for himself and his family. And I’ll be right there supporting him whatever he decides to do. I don’t know but I’m pretty sure he’ll come and talk to me and tell me what’s going on before it becomes public.”
Sabi pa niya, “Obviously it’s been a great five seasons. If he does decide to come back, this is not where we want to be — over in the first round. We want to be a championship contender.”
