LeBron James and Chris Paul have been close friends for many years. They have been very open and public about their relationship, which made their confrontations during the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round playoff series versus the Phoenix Suns all the odder.
One moment, in particular, continues to stand out: Paul’s dangerous foul on James that could’ve potentially caused long-lasting injuries.
That foul, coupled with some odd behavior from James, led many to speculate that the pair may be beefing about what transpired.
This past week, James stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday to promote Space Jam: A New Legacy. While there, he was pressed by guest host Arsenio Hall on whether or not he’d like to see Paul on the Lakers.
At that point James revealed that, not only was there no beef with Paul, but he’d love to play alongside him.
“I have a horse in the race and he goes by the name of Chris Paul,” James said of the NBA Finals match-up between the Suns and Milwaukee Bucks.
“So I’ve been watching. That is my brother and we’ve known each other since my junior year of high school, his sophomore year. We actually met for the first time when we were in eighth grade…We’ve been friends ever since.”
That’s when Hall pushed James on whether he’d want to play alongside Paul on the Lakers.
“Could it still happen? And would you like it to still happen?” Hall asked.
James laughed the query off initially, citing “tampering” rules that he may be violating with a legitimate answer.
“You probably can’t talk about that,” Hall interjected. “Of course, you’d love to play with your friend. We’d love it.”
The Bucks owner’s daughter decided to bring 2021 in with a bang by stripping all her clothes off. https://t.co/UgzhEEna4o
— Game 7 (@game7__) January 7, 2021
And that’s when James gave his most honest response: “Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely,” he replied.
It’s something of an open secret at this point that Paul is likely done in Phoenix after this season.
Will LA be where he ultimately lands? Time will tell.
Related: Stephen Curry’s 2-Word Trash Talk That Silenced Entire Bench
Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
