"I wasn't comfortable with shooting the ball at that point" - LeBron James credits shared that the 2007 loss forced him to work on his shooting

When he entered the NBA in 2003, LeBron James 's basketball talents were highly respected. Opposing teams knew he could do anything on the court.

But as they got to know his game better, they saw that LeBron didn't have a reliable jump shot yet. So they sagged off him every time he had the ball. Yes, there were times it would go in. But more often than not, he would brick it.

While LeBron worked on his game every day, he realized he needed to improve in 2007. In the 2007 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs , the whole world saw LeBron's poor shooting.

Thank you, Spurs

James credits Gregg Popovich and crew for making him a complete player. He admitted that he wasn't confident in his jumper then. But he knew he had to work on it if he wanted to become a champion.

"I just want to be able to not have any weaknesses and allow a defense to dictate what I do," James said . "Because of the Spurs in a lot of my early years is part of the reason why my jumpshot is a lot better today. My first Finals appearance in '07, they went under everything and I didn't shoot the ball. I wasn't comfortable with shooting the ball at that point in time of my career. I give a lot of thanks to their scheme."

From being a mere playmaker, James became a three-level scorer. He wasn't just bruising defenders in the paint. With a new jump shot, James shot the lights out from deep or midrange. For all his hard work, James cruised to becoming the all-time leading scorer in NBA history.

James the 3-point assassin?

As James enters year 22, does he have more in store for us? We cannot deny that he's a shadow of his former self. However, LeBron has reinvented his game to keep up his production.

JJ Redick , the new Los Angeles Lakers coach , gave a sneak preview of how LeBron will be under his watch.

"He and I have joked about this," Redick said during his introductory press conference as the Lakers' head coach. "He shot over 40 percent from three this year. I want him shooting threes."

Whether he's serious or not is still a matter of wait-and-see. LeBron has reached year 22 because he always brings something new to the table. We may see another iteration of the King in the upcoming season.

Related: "LeBron's being patient a little bit" - Chris Haynes reports that LeBron James is giving the Lakers front office a week before re-signing