Former NBA Player Takes a U-Turn, Expresses Desire to Play With Lakers and LeBron James

Darren Collison shocked the NBA when he announced his retirement at just 31 years old. In a letter he penned on The Undefeated, he wrote that he stepped away from basketball so he could focus more on his faith and family.

A couple of days back, he made an appearance on A Minute Til 6 podcast, where he mentioned he would have liked to play with LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard.

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When asked about any player he would have liked to play with, Collison said, “Bron. He’s somebody that I’ve competed against so many times. I would like to play with him just from his IQ standpoint.

“His ability to see the game at a higher level than most people. Probably one of the best IQ, if not the best in the game right now.”

Collison had an opportunity to play with LeBron James

Back in January, there were reports that Collison was looking to return to the NBA, and the Lakers and Clippers were the frontrunners to sign him.

He even flirted with the idea of signing with the Lakers. He was seen attending a game with Lakers’ owner Jeanie Buss and they were also spotted getting dinner together.

The Lakers felt they needed someone better than Rajon Rondo for the second unit. Rondo may have better playmaking but Collison was younger and a much better scorer, the final piece to the puzzle of their bench.

But after a month of rumors, Collison decided against retiring, and he never teamed up with LeBron then.

Collison never suited up in the purple and gold, but he would have undoubtedly been a quality addition to the Lakers. In the bubble, they are currently the worst shooting team, averaging just 39.8 FG% and 25.2 from the three-point line.

With the playoffs approaching soon, the Lakers need to pull their socks up and redefine their shooting.

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Tonight, they face the Houston Rockets, who are fighting to get into the top half of the Western Conference. A win against them will be a big boost for the Lakers.

SOURCES-

Mark Haynes- Twitter

StatMuse- Twitter

Darren Collison- The Undefeated