Stephen A. Smith: ‘I Think LeBron James Is Going to Be a Monster This Year’

Considering his standards, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James had a down year last season.

While he averaged 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game in the 2018-19 campaign, he managed to play in just 55 games due to injury. That absence played a large role in the Lakers missing the postseason.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith recently predicted that James is going to dominate the 2019-20 season with months of rest and a revamped roster around him.

“I think LeBron James is going to be a monster this year,” Smith said. “I think that reprieve, him being out of basketball since April for the first time in nine years, he wasn’t in the Finals, I think that all of those things serve to provide an incredible source of motivation for LeBron James.

“I think that LeBron James is going to be a candidate for league MVP on this year.”

Throughout the offseason, there have been murmurs that perhaps James’ peak is behind him.

Based on Smith’s assertion, it seems quite clear that he is not of that camp. If he is right, and James does enjoy a resurgent year, the Lakers will certainly have to be considered a prime contender to bring home the Larry O’Brien trophy.