‘Mind the Game’
There’s no question that LeBron James moves the needle like no one else in basketball. While he’s already 39 and clearly in the downside of a stellar career, he remains the sport’s single bigger influencer — in the real sense of the word. He has 159 million followers on Instagram and another 52.8 million on X, and his posts on either platform immediately generate teeming reactions from supporters and critics alike. He commands attention, and not simply because knows how to put the ball through the hoop. Authority bias may be at play, but, for the most part, he knows what he’s talking about.
Which, in a nutshell, is why James’ decision to enter the realm of podcasting cannot but be viewed as a positive. In fact, his reach and acumen make the endeavor a no-brainer. And, in JJ Redick, he has found a perfect partner: a fellow hoops lifer with a profound capacity for delving into subjects, even esoteric ones, with uncanny depth. To contend that they were made for “Mind The Game” would be an understatement, as evidenced by the wealth of information contained in the first episode that was released the other day.
Between sips of wine and water, James and Redick filled the joint venture between their production companies with nuggets of wisdom. They fed off a discussion that began with an attempt to answer the question “What makes a great basketball player?”, moved on to the meat behind the term “Basketball IQ”, delved into the merits of standard offensive sets, and underscored the influence of such “relatable” megastars as Stephen Curry and Allen Iverson. In between, they talked about the anatomy of monumental comebacks in matches — like the one he recently orchestrated against the Clippers — and the rise of Jayson Tatum and the Celtics following the arrival of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in exchange for “a bag of Lays potato chips.”
Clearly, James and Redick aren’t afraid to tackle sensitive subjects — and, yes, they speak their mind, as they typically do. Given how the first episode evolved, the podcast has something for everyone. That said, it’s also not for the Average Joe looking to multitask while it runs in the background via YouTube or Spotify. It takes itself seriously, and pridefully spews out particulars with no intention of babying the viewer or listener. Phrases like “pick the picker” and concepts like “horns chest” abound, making it more attuned to the tastes of diehard fans than casual observers.
All the same, “Mind the Game” is a vital foil to the cesspool of podcasts littered with subjective judgments with nary any justification. It’s a welcome respite from all the inane content occupying airwaves — full of sound and fury, yet signifying nothing. It is, to be sure, not without irony that both James and Redick aren’t free of guilt in this regard, the former with “The Shop” and the latter with “First Take.” Nonetheless, they deserve props for daring to go against the tide, and, ultimately, for making sense. In view of the myriad demands on their time, the hope is that they are able to keep it going.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.