LeBron James reflects on his nervous debut in the 2006 NBA Playoffs vs. Washington: 'I don't want to s**t the bed.'
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has just wrapped up his 21st NBA regular season and is preparing for yet another playoff showdown, this time against the reigning champions, the Denver Nuggets.
Memphis Grizzlies
Los Angeles Lakers
New Orleans Pelicans
Denver NuggetsAs LeBron reflects on his postseason journeys, he acknowledges that the beginning wasn't always smooth sailing. He opened up about his nerves leading into his first playoff game against the Washington Wizards on April 22, 2006, during the 'Mind the Game' podcast with JJ Redick.
"I was nervous as f**k. That's what I remember," James confessed on the pod. "It was a third year. First year, I established myself. Second year, we missed the playoffs by maybe one or two games, and it's like, 'Okay, I'm here to play ball, but I want to make the next step. I got to get this franchise to the postseason.' In my third year, we finally made the postseason, and our first game was against Washington at home, I was nervous as hell.
"My stomach was hurting all goddamn long, all day, literally until the jump ball. ... I was 20 years old, got the team to the postseason, I don't want to go out there and s**t the bed," he recalled. "Maybe I was 21, I don't want to s**t the bed. First playoff game, look out there's Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, and all those guys. They were playing great ball that year, we're inexperienced as hell, and I didn't want to lay an egg."
Despite the pressure, James rose to the occasion, recording a triple-double with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists in Game 1 of the 2006 First Round against the Wizards.
Throughout his debut playoff run, LeBron averaged 30.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in 13 games. However, Cleveland's postseason run came to an end in the Eastern Conference semifinals, falling 4-3 to the Detroit Pistons.
Lebron James' first playoff game:
Latest 'Mind the Game' podcast:
Thank you for reading us! We have even more content for you.
