SUMMARY
- Jalen Brunson attended the LeBron James Skills Academy when he was 16 years old.
- Brunson revealed that he learnt more on his strengths and weaknesses at the time.
In the aftermath of a recent matchup against LeBron James, a decade-old video of Jalen Brunson during his time with the LeBron James’ Skills Academy has gone viral on social media. As some basketball fans might be aware, Brunson began his career alongside Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. He took his talents to the New York Knicks at the start of last season and managed to help them make it to the second round of the playoffs.
The LeBron James Skills Academy is considered by many NBA analysts to be one of the top destinations to find and recruit future stars in the league, The young athletes are even given a chance to train with and be mentored by King James. That said, let us take a closer look at what Brunson had to say about his time there.
Jalen Brunson credits the LeBron James Skills Academy for teaching him leadership
One of the most important things that any skills academy possesses is allowing the players to gain experience and exposure by playing against some of the best young stars in the country. Brunson was considered an incredible talent when he was just 16 years old and given the opportunity to attend.
At some point, he was interviewed and asked about his learnings and experiences during his time at the LeBron James’ Skills Academy. Here is more on what he had to say.
“Just to show how I can be a leader on the court and just so I can get my teammates open and at times get my own shot…It shows how there are a lot of elite athletes in this country and shows that I have to step up with my strength and quickness…Just my quickness and strength like I said but also just being a more consistent shooter and being a leader..”
16-year-old Jalen Brunson at the LeBron James Skills Academy: “…There are a lot of elite athletes [here]…I need to step up w/ my strength & quickness…shows me where I am right now in my game & what I need to work on…”
“…Lead guard…that’s where I want to play…I love having… pic.twitter.com/r2GAoyxIFQ
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 4, 2024
Upon hearing how mature and composed Brunson sounded regarding his goals and abilities at just 16 years of age, fans were quite impressed after watching the viral video. Since Jalen has been in the league for several years now, one might wonder if other NBA stars went through the same academy.
How many other current NBA stars attended King James’ academy?
LeBron James’ skills academy began all the way back in 2006. Over the years, there have been many young athletes who attended the academy and went on to become certified NBA stars. Some of the NBA players who participated include DeMar DeRozan, Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons, Kelly Oubre Jr., Buddy Hield, and Julius Randle.