LeBron James Doesn't Hold Back While Discussing 2020 NBA Bubble
The 2019-20 NBA season was suspended in March due to COVID-19. Rudy Gobert, playing for the Utah Jazz at the time, was the first NBA player to get COVID-19.
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The NBA restarted the 2019-20 season at the end of July at the Walt Disney World bubble in Orlando, Fla. LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers won the 2020 championship against the Miami Heat in six games.
James won his fourth title and fourth Finals MVP in the bubble. The Lakers beat the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and Heat in the 2020 playoffs.
Players at the bubble weren't allowed to leave the resort. They were either practicing with their teammates or hanging out in their rooms when games weren't being played.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James won his fourth ring in 2020. © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
James and Hall of Famer Steve Nash spoke about the NBA bubble on the latest "Mind the Game" episode.
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The leading scorer in NBA history, James said the bubble "was strictly basketball."
"I agree when a lot of people say it's the purest form of hoops," James said. "Like it was just, it was strictly basketball. You know, we're all like, you know, have the ability to do whatever we want in life. You know, we've made a bunch of money. We have all the access. You know, that's gone in the bubble. You can't just, you know, oh, I'm about to go to a restaurant or I'm about to do this or I have this. You can't do none of that. Like, everything in the bubble was strictly about basketball.
"Of all my championships I've won, that level of focus, like how long can you maintain your focus in order to get the job done? Because you have all the reasons, if you want to, to get out of focus because you're so accustomed to a certain lifestyle."
James averaged 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks in the 2020 playoffs.
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The NBA icon put up 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.5 blocks per game in the finals against the Heat.
Related: Former NBA MVP Explains Why He 'Hated' Playing Against LeBron James
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
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