LeBron James approaching Lakers youngsters as he would his own kids

While LeBron James wanted to make sure he didn’t imply that his teammates were children, the tactics he’s using to get to know his teammates are ones he’s picked up being a father.

Tuesday was the first day of practice for the Los Angeles Lakers and it was reportedly a day without a scrimmage, as Luke Walton tried to instill the team’s defensive philosophy. That required James to be a little bit more patient when it comes to evaluating his new teammates.

“I got to bring in the approach I get from home,” James said, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “When you have three kids, you have to be patient. I’m not calling these guys kids; they’re young men here, and some of these men have families as well. But you learn that you have to be patient and you have to gauge everyone individually very different to get the most out of them.”

James has often been a source of jokes for his approach to younger teammates, specifically Kyrie Irving. The implication that he wants to be a father figure is something he’s keenly aware of, but also one that is unavoidable for him as the ranking veteran on the team.

Also, being that James is used to being on a team with lots of other veterans, he’s also got to be patient with himself as he gets used to playing with a much younger group.