LeBron James has no clue how to address Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton
LeBron James and Luke Walton were in the same 2003 NBA draft class, with an 18-year-old James going No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers and a 23-year-old Walton being selected 32nd overall to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Much has changed in the last 15 years, as Walton has now progressed to being the Lakers head coach and James has become one of the greatest players of all-time.
Since joining the Lakers, James revealed that the player-coach dynamic has stumped him early on when it comes to how to address Walton.
"I’ve called him coach a couple times and I’ve called him Luke a couple times and he hasn’t said anything," James explained on a recent episode of HBO's The Shop, which he co-produces. "And I’m like, ‘What should I...what do you want me to call you?’ Like, I need to know. I need to know this."
James said that it's not just the five-year age gap he and Walton have that's thrown him in a name-game conundrum. Cavs coach Tyronn Lue is only 41 and preferred to be addressed by his name. But James said he called Lue "coach" and always felt hard-pressed to show the utmost respect for the man with the clipboard.
“For me, you’re my coach and I always feel like there’s a hierarchy to that,” James said. “Like, I’m the player and you’re the coach, so it’s like the respect factor. … That’s how it goes.”
The Lakers open their season Thursday night against the Trail Blazers.