After LeBron James ' heartbreaking loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals, "The King" went to the lab to beef up his offensive arsenal. To win a title, James knew he had to be a complete player who could adjust to whatever defenses gave him.
In pursuit of this lofty ambition, LeBron flocked to Houston to train with the great Hakeem Olajuwon . In addition to an on-court workout where "The Dream" shared his tricks, the Rockets legend also offered words of wisdom to LeBron.
"What was lacking in his game was the post," says Olajuwon, per Sports Illustrated. "I told him he should use his leverage. Just muscle and seal against guards."
"It was a joy to work with guys like that, who are already great on their own and want to add to their game," Hakeem added.
The Dream's advice to The King
Right from the get-go, James integrated Hakeem's moves into his offensive arsenal. He also took the Dream's advice to heart and started bruising his opponents.
Stats reveal that in the 2010-11 season, LeBron faced up to his foes from the post 35.0% of the time. In this position, LBJ sometimes settled for jump shots, which were not necessarily his strongest suit.
However, after his training with Hakeem in the 2011-12 season, face-up scenarios in the post dropped to 25.9%. Also, Bron turned baseline 44.8% of the time in the 2011-12 season compared to just 21.1% in the previous year.
Related: "I stay away from him when I'm walking" - Michael Jordan named the only athlete he ever feared
LeBron's mindset
Hakeem wasn't just impressed with how quickly Bron learned the moves. The Rockets icon was also in awe of the Ohio native's mindset during their training sessions. From Olajuwon's observation, James was cool, calm, and collected . LBJ wasn't mentally restless and bothered despite the heartbreaking loss in the 2011 NBA Finals.
"This is a different generation, but we connected when he came this time," Olajuwon said . "You could see that he felt very comfortable, very relaxed. He had put a lot of pressure on himself to win a championship, but this was very refreshing for him. No judgment."
"I could see when he left the ranch, his excitement was high, and he was ready. "I thought, 'He has completed his game. He feels that. He believes that," he added.
With a polished skillset and a sharp mind, LeBron won his first-ever NBA Championship. This proved that the kid from Akron knew how to win, as he took this formula and ran with it to win a few more titles later.
Related: “He was so determined” – Hakeem Olajuwon recalls mentoring LeBron James throughout their 2011 summer workout
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