Richard Jefferson: ‘I had LeBron James on my team, and I didn’t wanna see Kevin Durant’

Published by

Robert Marvi

5 years ago

Former NBA player Richard Jefferson had the great fortune of playing with LeBron James when they were both members of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

When discussing the possibility of a “subway series” between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets in this year’s NBA Playoffs, Jefferson said that despite having James on his team, he didn’t want to play against Kevin Durant.

“I had LeBron James on my team and I didn’t want to see Kevin Durant,” said Jefferson.

Before Jefferson was a Cav, he started his career with the Nets, back when they were based just across the Hudson River in New Jersey.

His comment speaks to how hard it is to win an NBA championship, no matter how much talent a team possesses.

The Knicks have had a long-awaited resurgence this season, as big man Julius Randle has ascended to All-Star status and head coach Tom Thibodeau has built a culture based on defense.

However, the Knicks simply lack the star power that the Nets and a few other teams boast.

Brooklyn acquired Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant nearly two years ago, then stunned the league by trading for former MVP James Harden earlier this season.

The stick in the mud for the Nets has been injuries, as they have had very few games with all three superstars in the lineup.

Robert Marvi

Robert is a native of Santa Monica, Calif. and a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has been an avid NBA fan since he was a little kid in the mid '90s and has seen the Cavs go from NBA laughingstocks, to contenders, back to laughingstocks and finally world champions. He feels strongly that the NBA and sports aren't just entertainment, but also a means for learning life lessons.