LSU legend Shaquille O'Neal reveals exact moment he knew this 22-year veteran was a true leader

LeBron James is now 40 years old and has had one of the most remarkable careers in NBA history. There’s no doubt he will go down as one of the greatest to ever play the game. James is a freak athlete, and the things he’s doing at 40 have never been seen before.

Currently, James is in the middle of a run at the NBA Finals, but his team is down 2-1 in the series to Minnesota, who has been giving the Lakers all kinds of trouble. James is coming off a near 40-point performance.

Earlier this year, the Lakers made a blockbuster trade for Luka Dončić, sending Max Christie and Anthony Davis the other way. The entire world was in shock that night—no one believed it at first—but it was quickly confirmed. The duo of Dončić and James has taken the league by storm. James is now able to play more off the ball, easing the workload on the aging superstar. Carmelo Anthony believes this is the happiest James has ever been in his career.

“I’ve never seen [LeBron] as happy as he looks playing the game right now. They are a lockdown defensive team right now, with Luka [Dončić]… The roles [are] reversed now. [LeBron James is Anthony Davis] right now, & Luka is him,” Anthony said.

In a recent podcast, Shaquille O’Neal shared a moment when he was truly impressed by James. Shaq recognized the kind of leader James was as soon as he arrived in Cleveland.

“I was super impressed with LeBron when I got to Cleveland… This motherf***er was a true leader… He was doing sh*t I never did. Like he got to bring his family on the plane. I was like, ‘D**n… chill out,’” O’Neal said.

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James has always been a phenomenal player, but to receive such praise about his leadership early in his career—from someone like Shaq—speaks volumes.