"Nice linking up with you again": LeBron James shouts out widely respected veteran broadcaster amid 'face of the league' furor

LeBron James took to social media to express his appreciation for veteran broadcaster Scott Van Pelt. James was interviewed by Van Pelt on Friday after the LA Lakers’ win over the LA Clippers on Friday, and during the conversation, James shared his thoughts on the importance of appreciating basketball.

Van Pelt brought up the topic following James' comments about Anthony Edwards and his reluctance to take on the "face of the NBA" mantle. In response, James explained that he and his generation of players compete for the love of the game.

"What matters to me when it comes to my generation and the younger generation that's in our league now is that we play it for the love of the game," James said. "We're not out here cheating the game. We're putting the grind in. We're putting the time in."

James reposted the clip of his interview with Van Pelt and expressed his appreciation for the veteran broadcaster.

"Nice linking up with you again @notthefakeSVP! Always a pleasure 🙏🏾🤝🏾🫡," James wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

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LeBron James leads Lakers to fifth straight win

The battle for LA was a thrilling one on Friday, as the Lakers took down the Clippers 106-102. The Purple and Gold emerged as the city’s top team, with James delivering a dominant double-double performance.

James led the Lakers with 28 points and 13 rebounds, guiding them to their fifth straight victory. Supporting him on offense was Luka Doncic, who contributed 31 points, five assists and three steals, further strengthening their new All-Star duo.

The Lakers pulled off the win despite missing Rui Hachimura and, for most of the game, Austin Reaves. Hachimura was sidelined due to a knee injury sustained in Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and is expected to be out for a week.

Reaves, meanwhile, exited Friday’s matchup after just nine minutes due to right calf soreness and did not return. Moving forward, he will be listed as day-to-day.