LeBron James recently addressed the reports about Jeanie Buss growing frustrated with him while she was the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. After the loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on January 22nd, 2026, James was asked about the off-court drama.
“When I came to this organization, my whole mindset was about restoring excellence, and the things I seen growing up with the Lakers,” James said. “I didn’t get a chance to watch the Showtime [Lakers] but I know the history and then the early 2000s with Shaq[uille O’Neal] and Kob[e Bryant] and what Kob did those couple runs with him and Pau [Gasol]. So, my whole mindset was how can I get that feeling back to the organization. When the Lakers and Knicks and Bulls and Celtics are good, it’s great. And I was able to do that, along with 14, 16 other guys — winning a championship and bringing a championship here. That’s always been my mindset.
“Quite frankly, I don’t really care about articles. I don’t care about stories. I don’t care about podcasts and all that type of s–t. It don’t bother me. I’m 41 years old, and I watch golf every day. I don’t care about an article. I don’t care how someone feel about me. If you know me personally, then you know what I’m about. These guys know what I’m about and that’s all that matters. I could care less how someone feel about me.”
According to the report, Buss had grown frustrated with LeBron James for a multitude of reasons. A couple of the reasons were James seemingly receiving little criticism for the Russell Westbrook trade he advocated for that backfired on the organization and the four-time champion receiving a ton of credit for the Lakers’ 2020 title run. Despite all of this, the Lakers still have a chance to compete for a championship this season.
LeBron James Responds to Jeanie Buss’ Reported Frustrations
The Current State of the Los Angeles Lakers
As of January 23rd, 2026, the Los Angeles Lakers are sixth in the Western Conference with a win-loss record of 26-17. They are only half a game back of the fifth seed. Luka Dončić was voted as an All-Star starter, and the organization appears ready to build around him going forward. Moreover, LeBron James is still averaging 22.5 points, 6.9 assists, and 6.0 rebounds per game. Austin Reaves is also having a career year and will draw All-Star consideration. With all of this in mind, one should not count out the Los Angeles Lakers come postseason time. Remember, LeBron James is still considered by some as the greatest player in NBA history for a reason.
