LA Lakers superstar LeBron James is in a new commercial for the company Ruffles, the official potato chip of the NBA. "King" James can be seen trying to empower people to seize opportunities and overcome obstacles in life. Rap mogul Kendrick Lamar's hit song "DNA" can be heard in the background of the advertisement.
In the commercial, LeBron James says:
"Own what makes you, you and show the world what you can do."
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The advertisement showcased the lives of a blind skateboarder, a female barber, a single father and a previously incarcerated food truck chef as they face tough times in their lives.
LeBron James, who was born in Akron, Ohio, talks about how these people have been able to find ways to be successful in their lives.
LeBron James said:
"We're all made of different things. Ridges that make us who we are. Mold us. Now these things we can keep them hidden away. We can let them defeat us. Or we can embrace them."
Can LeBron James carry the Lakers in the absence of Anthony Davis?
Anthony Davis, after suffering a knee injury against the Minnesota Timberwolves, is set to be sidelined for at least four weeks. He will be re-evaluated in a month. The initial diagnosis revealed no damage to the structure. This will mean more of a burden on LeBron James, who is nearly 37 years old.
With chemistry issues between the big three of James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, having AD out for an extended period of time will certainly not help the Lakers and their championship ambitions. However, this will mean the onus falls on LeBron James and Russell Westbrook to do the heavy lifting.
Achieving a top-four seed has to be an absolute priority for James and the Lakers (16-15) as they sit seventh in the Western Conference, just three games behind fourth seed Memphis Grizzlies.
Coach Frank Vogel has often deployed LeBron James as the center whenever Anthony Davis isn't available, and that just might be the way forward. Playing James as the big man allows the Lakers to surround him with shooters. Subsequently, this opens up a pathway to the rim for James to attack. And if he does attract double-teams, he can dish the ball to the open man.
James is averaging 25.9 points, 6.8 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game while shooting better than 50% from the field and higher than 34% from beyond the arc. James is also shooting a career-high 3-pointers (7.7 per game). This is an indication of James trying to improve his jumpshot while continuing to be an offensive presence without necessarily attacking the basket and attracting contact.
With AD out, the Lakers' season and their championship ambitions lie in the hands of James.
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