“He is Chat GPT of NBA”: Former LeBron James teammate describes Lakers star’s unmatched dominance

LeBron James has shared the floor with dozens of teammates across two decades, and many have described his impact in much the same way as Iman Shumpert. The former Cleveland Cavaliers guard recently offered a detailed look at what separates James from other superstars. Shumpert pointed to a mental command of the game that shapes everything around him. Speaking on Club Shay Shay, Shumpert explained how James’ presence changes preparation, execution, and accountability inside a locker room.

Shumpert knows that environment well. He won a championship alongside James in Cleveland and saw firsthand how high standards can elevate a roster.

During the interview, Shumpert described LeBron James revealing he is the ChatGPT of the NBA. Similar to the AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, James has all the answers regarding basketball. “He is Chat GPT of the NBA,” Shumpert said of James.

“This is the best way I could describe [him]. You can ask him anything, he knows. He knows the coaches, he knows the assistant coaches, he knows the player development coach. I don’t even have the mental capacity for all that sh*t. It took about a month for me to get used to him saying ‘X1, X2, X3, X4,’ he is really programmed for this.

I never dealt with somebody who had the balls enough to look a coach in the eye and say, ‘I’m not running that. ‘”

Shumpert’s words reveal James’ basketball IQ. Teammates often mention how he studies opposing schemes, calls out actions before they unfold, and directs traffic on both ends.

Shumpert also addressed the dynamic between James and Kyrie Irving, who forced a trade from Cleveland in 2017. He dismissed the idea that Irving’s departure stemmed from tension alone.

“Hell nah. Kyrie is a Kobe guy,” said Shumpert. “Kyrie wanted to beat LeBron, and that’s okay. People like to say ‘Oh, that was dumb’ because you’re a team-up kind of guy. That’s not Kyrie. Kyrie is like ‘The only way I can be crowned the best is if I beat the best. I got to go head-to-head with you; I can’t team up with you.”

Shumpert expanded on how roles shifted after James returned to Cleveland. “Let’s say you got your momma’s crib. And then they just bring you a new brother,” Shumpert added. “Then your momma’s like ‘Well, you were the one to get the house key and do whatever you want, but now you don’t get to drive the car.’ For people not to understand that’s what happened, and then be like ‘Oh, he should have put his pride to the side.’ Why?”

As of now, however, Kyrie is out as he is recovering from his ACL injury, and reportedly, the Dallas Mavericks do not have any plan to bring the NBA veteran into action in the 2025-26 season.