Tyronn Lue is one of the luckiest men in the world.
He spent his first three seasons as an NBA player with the Los Angeles Lakers, which meant he got to be teammates with Kobe Bryant (and Shaquille O’Neal).
In 2001, he joined the Washington Wizards and spent two years as a teammate of Michael Jordan.
Then years later, he was an assistant coach and later the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, which meant working with LeBron James.
Bryant, Jordan and James are likely the three greatest NBA players of the past 30 years, and according to Lue, there is one quality they all shared that has gotten them to the highest pantheon of basketball greatness.
“Just seeing Kobe first, and then I left there and went to Washington and played with Jordan when he was 40,” Lue said. “Just seeing those two, and the way they worked, and how they grinded, and then, like you said, getting LeBron, those three guys, they all the same. Want to win, whatever it takes to win, but their work ethic — you come to the gym, you come in two hours early, and they already finished the workout. They sweating. They’re done.”
Bryant was known for his legendary work ethic and how he would work maniacally to become his best self, putting in time on the court towards refined everything from broad skills to what many fans would consider minutiae.
James has also become known for working relentlessly, especially when it comes to his health and conditioning.
A few years ago, a report came out that he spends $1.5 million a year to keep his body right.
It is no wonder then that James is having one of his best statistical seasons ever this year, despite being 37 years of age and carrying an insane amount of mileage.
