LeBron James on Play-offs, Donald Sterling
ANNOUNCER: Tonight, on UNGUARDED WITH RACHEL NICHOLS, unparalleled. LeBron James reveals the man behind the player.</s>LEBRON JAMES, NBA STAR: When I'd win a play-off game when I was younger, I was excited. Out of my mind. You would lose and I was the worst person in the world.</s>ANNOUNCER: Unrelenting. NASCAR star Kurt Busch pushes the limits of what one man can do in a day.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And now Kurt Busch up in the ninth spot.</s>KURT BUSCH, NASCAR DRIVER: Do 1,100 miles in one day, there's going to be the mental challenge, the physical challenge.</s>ANNOUNCER: Unmatched. One of the NFL's best players makes the catch of the year.</s>J.J. WATT, DEFENSIVE END, HOUSTON TEXANS: This is my buddy Trey, and all those of you who don't believe that Trey is my friend we leave this touchdown.</s>RACHEL NICHOLS, HOST: Welcome to UNGUARDED. From one of the most competitive postseasons in recent memory to the daily soap opera of Donald Sterling and the Clippers, there is no sport getting more attention right now than the NBA, and there's no one more qualified to talk about it all than LeBron James. This days, the NBA's best player has also become one of its most influential leaders, and we sat down to discuss how, as he nears 30, he has grown up right in front of us. Of course, this is the playoffs, so there is also the matter of LeBron's Miami Heat trying to close out the Indiana Pacers tonight.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has not disappointed.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Big bad.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get back the no call.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He missed it and that will end the game. So we look at game six.</s>NICHOLS: So, what have you learned over the years about closeout games, because it is always so hard to match the desperation of a team that is fighting for its playoff life?</s>JAMES: It is very difficult. This is always the hardest game, but you come in with the same mind-set as you did when you wanted to win the first one, wanted to win the second one, wanted to win the third one. You understand that the team is trying to save their lives and play with a lot of desperation. And you see that.</s>NICHOLS: When you think back to your early playoff days, early conference finals, the finals against the Spurs that you played, what's the difference between LeBron James and what you knew then versus now?</s>JAMES: I'm just a smarter, more seasoned basketball player. More veteran. I mean, I've been in it so many times that I kind of know what to expect. For me at a younger age, I was never even keel. You know, I would win a playoff game, when I was younger, I was excited, out of my mind. And you would lose, and I was the worst person in the world.</s>NICHOLS: Do you ever look or see old tape of yourself at that age and think, "Oh, boy"?</s>JAMES: Absolutely, absolutely. He had a lot to learn, but the guy here today is still learning, as well, so I think the best teacher in life is experience.</s>NICHOLS: You're not a prodigy anymore. You spent the first five or six years of your career identified as the young one. Now you've got the Kevin Durants of the world coming up. What is it like to feel that difference, to feel that, "OK, I'm not the one trying to get people ahead of me, but there's guys nipping at my heels"?</s>JAMES: Well, I mean, it's definitely different for me, because I spent so many years in the adolescent stage, and you kind of just go with the process. And you understand that there's always going to be guys before you and after you. Right now in the present I just take care of what I can. Control what I can and being a part of this franchise and a part of this team and being a leader of the team, you try to put us in a position to help us succeed. At the same time, I understand you see those guys, those younger guys coming for you, for sure.</s>NICHOLS: And you had Kevin Durant out to your place in Akron to train with you?</s>JAMES: Man, we just got done lifting.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.</s>JAMES: Putting in work in the weight room.</s>NICHOLS: You've given advice to Paul George. Is there ever a point in the back of your head somewhere, say, when you see K.D. win the MVP and you were clearly the other guy who could have won it, you say, "Maybe I shouldn't have helped my competition like that"?</s>JAMES: No, absolutely not. You know, absolutely not. I feel like, you know, me playing the game is a small token of what I have to give to this game. You know, me giving my knowledge to guys, younger guys coming up after me, you know, I have no problem with doing it, you know, because I'm not going to be able to play this game, you know, forever. Even if I'm competing against these guys, you know, for -- I'm not going to give them tips where I'm competing against them, you know, but at the same tie I don't mind lending a hand. Me and K.D., man. Just trying to get better, man.</s>NICHOLS: Did Michael Jordan, did anybody do that for you?</s>JAMES: No.</s>NICHOLS: Does that surprise you, now that you are at that stage?</s>JAMES: No, I think it's who you are. I mean, you can't expect for someone to do something that they're not comfortable with or not accustomed to doing. I think for me it just came naturally.</s>NICHOLS: You've taken on more responsibility as you've gotten older in general. Most recently you spoke about the Donald Sterling issue.</s>DONALD STERLING, CO-OWNER, L.A. CLIPPERS: I'm not a racist, but those words came out of my mouth, I guess.</s>JAMES: We talked about a lot. I think the most important thing that we understand is that Adam Silver is moving forward. You know, he's not just for the owners, he's for the players, as well. And the direction that they're going in, we're all for it. So we look forward to the next step, and we'll go from there.</s>NICHOLS: And you're expanding your reach off the court, as well. You're set to be in not just one but a couple different movies during the off-season.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you get the check I sent.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hope it was enough.</s>JAMES: It wasn't.</s>NICHOLS: What made you decide you were going to take a hand at this.</s>JAMES: It's just something that I have a lot of fun with. Obviously, I've watch a lot of movies over my life, and to be able to join the cast of so many great actors and actresses that they do on an everyday basis. So we'll see what I have to give.</s>NICHOLS: Are you going to be as good at that as you are playing basketball?</s>JAMES: No, I know what my day job is.</s>JAMES: Well, we know how "Space Jam" worked out for Michael Jordan, so we're going to have to see how LeBron does. All right. Stick with us, because we have a fascinating mix of stories tonight. Up next, we're going to get a firsthand account of what it's like to compete in two different professional sporting events in one day.</s>BUSCH: That's the part of doing 1,100 miles, and executing perfectly all day. It's tough to do.