'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
LeBron James takes centerstage in Netflix's 'Starting 5' Episode 1 titled 'Meet the Hoopers Part I'. The first ten-episode high-octane docuseries molded from the same fly-on-the-wall treatment as NFL series 'Quarterback' and 'Receiver' sheds light on the questionable minutes restriction for the 4x NBA champion by former Lakers coach Darvin Ham. In one of the segments, James is visibly upset at Ham and the coaching staff as they pull the plug on his playing time.
The 39-year-old (then 38) was part of the 2023-24 opening night skirmish vs Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets and in an attempt to preserve his best for the entirety of the season, Ham played James for 29 minutes and the forward ended with 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and a steal as LA went down 119-107. There were no words minced when he was asked to lace off.
"I know you all got me on f****g old man time percentages and s**t. Play eight minutes and s**t. Two shots in eight minutes just getting cardio. I hate this s**t already, I hate this garbage."
His outburst didn't go unnoticed as Ham binned the decision from the next game onwards. The 2023-24 season saw LA make the playoffs with LeBron James averaging 35.3 minutes per contest and ending his run with 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds in 71 games.
Darvin Ham on LeBron James' minutes' restrictions: "Have to be mindful of the minute output"
Speaking to reporters on the controversial decision about LeBron James' minutes, Ham weighed on the decision. Per Bleacher Report, the coach looked at the output as one of the reasons.
"It's easy with him to get caught up in the emotion of the game and you tend to forget you want to play these long stretches, but for him to be as effective as possible, we have to be mindful of the minute output and how long his stretches are."
The LA Lakers eventually played out the whole 2023-24 season with Ham before firing him right after the Lakers exit at the hands of the Nuggets again in the first round of the playoffs. JJ Redick replaced the former HC, and now it appears there are no minutes restrictions placed on LeBron James ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 season as he guns for his fifth title.
'Starting 5' releases October 9, and all 10 episodes are available to stream on Netflix.
