LeBron James’ longtime ally is under crisis! We are in fact talking about his trainer Chris Brickley who recently received backlash for his bold claim about a highly criticized superstar, “Ben Simmons is back to playing All-Star talent level basketball. Big season loading…” Appalled by the statement, NBA legend Jeff Teague even remarked, “Brickley just ruined his reputation with that take right there.” But with his reputation on the line, Bryce James has come to the trainer’s rescue as he shared an intense father-son moment crediting Brickley.

In his latest Instagram post, Chris shared several images of him training NBA superstars including Paolo Banchero and even the father-son duo of LeBron and Bryce James. “Pressure is a privilege‼️ If there’s no pressure on you… are you really that relevant!?” he captioned the post. Acknowledging the trainer’s message, Bryce shared the picture of himself with Daddy James on his IG story sitting on the bench amid an intense workout session with Brickley, which definitely provides more credibility to the veteran trainer.

Moreover, LeBron has been working on his game with Chris for at least the last five years. And ahead of this year’s draft, the three men of the James family took time out of their busy schedules to get a workout session with Brickley in New York. Yes, right before Bronny James got drafted by the Lakers. Sure enough, the video instantly went viral, with fans marveling at LeBron, Bronny and Bryce sharing the court while Brickley ran shooting drills with the trio. While the Simmons’ claim is a bold one from the trainer, he has faith in his assessment and believes that the Nets star is in better form than any of his All-Star seasons. And if superstars like LeBron have trusted him for such a long time, he is definitely doing something right.

Chris Brickley clarified major public doubt about sessions with LeBron James

Well, Bryce’s recent story will surely help Brickley with his credibility. But many fans might still be left wondering what Brickley knows different that he can teach a legend like LeBron who is arguably the best player to ever touch basketball. As it turns out, the trainer revealed the answer on the Ripper Magoo Podcast two years ago, “When I first heard I was working out with LeBron, first thing I did, so I went to Synergy, broke down his game. Looked at all the analytics, found out the strengths and weaknesses of his game.”

As great as LeBron is, there are areas where he needed improvement. During the early stage of his career, his shooting was a major concern. And as he ages, his game needs constant evolution to stay dominant. So, Brickley asked him head on before training with him, “What do you think was one of the weaknesses of your game last year?” After realizing that both were on the same page, Brickley began working with LBJ to improve his weaknesses. Sure enough, James has turned into a much better shooter in the last few years as he shot a career high 41% from three this past season. Yes, not all of it was because of Chris, but he surely played a part in the legend’s growth.

Maybe, that’s why LeBron and now even his sons keep training with Chris. And that shows he is an elite trainer despite the recent backlash.