“Organizations, coaches, players fear him…” LeBron James’ ex-teammate claps back at Shaquille O’Neal for comments on superstar’s ‘fear factor’

Channing Frye primarily played alongside LeBron James at the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“Organizations, coaches, players fear him…” LeBron James’ ex-teammate claps back at Shaquille O’Neal for comments on superstar’s ‘fear factor’

LeBron James' former teammate Channing Frye believes his ability to take over games brings the fear factor differently to teams

Most superstars in the NBA carry a certain level of respect in the eyes of their opponents. The elite ones, generally bring some kind of nervousness among the not-so-elite players. But what if possibly the greatest player of this generation does not instill fear in the eyes of his opponents? At least that is what Shaquille O’Neal insinuated about LeBron James. James’ former teammate has retorted that notion held by the Hall of Famer.

While on NBA TV, Channing Frye, a former teammate of LeBron James, listened to a replay of O’Neal’s comments. He responded to those comments with a unique take.

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Here is what he had to say:

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You know who fears LeBron James? Organizations, coaches, players fear them. Jordan and Kobe and even Shaq were feared because of the rules, and you had to play them mostly one-on-one. So, they would embarrass you. Bron's game is cerebral, it's like winning. I'm pretty sure that players fear him in game 7's.
Channing Frye said

Frye alluded that James’ game is different to that of Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. They were feared in one-on-one matchups. But James is feared as a game manager.

Channing Frye played alongside LeBron James during his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers. They won the 2016 NBA title together. In that title-winning series, Fry witnessed James taking over and dominating the Golden State Warriors despite being down 1-3, to cement the most dramatic turnaround in NBA Finals history. Fry saw something that was different from the likes of Jordan, Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal.

Teams fear the Los Angeles Lakers superstar not only for his prowess as a one-on-one player but also for his ability to dissect opposition defenses and unlock the game. That is why Fry suggested that opposition teams and players fear James in game 7 of a playoff series, when everything is on the line.

Game manager LeBron James instills a different level of fear in teams

Players are approaching modern-day basketball with a different style of play. Gone are the days when players used to dominate one-on-one and win. Now, the need for game management has taken precedence. Yes, one does still need elite performances from individual players. The Golden State Warriors made game management work out successfully for them in their 9-year domination in the league.

But game management is paramount. And that is where LeBron James thrives. Now in his 21st year in the league, James uses his experience, IQ, court vision and playmaking to help win games. Just ask the Denver Nuggets who faced off against James in the Western Conference Finals. They knew that they had to win fast so as to avoid giving James the time to diagnose them and turn the tables.

LeBron James’ game management means, that whoever gets to play the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs this year, is going to have a bit of a worry. That is what Channing Fry intended as instilling a different kind of fear in opponents.

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