Nic Antaya/Getty ImagesDuring LeBron James’ illustrious career, he’s played alongside several elite NBA stars such as Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook. These all-stars have been instrumental in James securing his four NBA championships. Despite this, LeBron has also shared the court with less remarkable players, some of whom arguably didn’t meet NBA standards. This mix of teammates showcases the varied support LeBron has had over the years. In this list, we highlight these less notable players he’s played alongside.
25. Lonzo Ball, Los Angeles Lakers (2018-19)
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Although Ball may not have lived up to his No. 2 pick hype, he is a serviceable player. If it weren’t for injuries, he may have realized his huge potential. However, as long as his father, LaVar, continued to interfere, there was no way he and James were going to work. Ball has a quiet ego, and the old man owns a huge one, and trying to mesh both with LeBron just was not going to work.
24. Michael Beasley, Miami, Los Angeles Lakers (2013-14; 2018-19)
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While Beasley also never lived up to his No. 2 overall pick status, he did play roughly 11 seasons in the NBA before heading to China. By the time he hooked up with James for his second stint in Miami during the 2013-14 season, he was basically a role player looking to revive his career. When they were together in his last season with the Lakers, his two starts came when LeBron was out of the lineup. After that, Beasley made his move to China.
23. Iman Shumpert, Cleveland (2014-15; 2017-18)
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There might not be a more overrated player on this list than Shumpert. Now retired, Shumpert averaged 7.2 points for his career and was really nothing more than a glorified role player who had trouble staying healthy. During the Cavaliers’ NBA title season of 2015-16, Shumpert averaged 5.8 points and shot 29.5 percent from 3-point range.
22. Kendrick Perkins, Cleveland (2014-15; 2017-18)
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Perkins had a lengthy NBA career that spanned 14 seasons, but he was essentially useless in some brief action over two seasons with James and the Cavs. His relationship with Kevin Durant was strained in Oklahoma City, so Perkins landed in Cleveland in February of 2015. He averaged 2.6 points and 2.4 boards in 17 regular-season games. Perkins played his final NBA game with the Cavaliers on April 11, 2018.
21. Delonte West, Cleveland (2007-08; 2009-10)
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The urban legend of West hooking up with James’ mother is enough for the former St. Joseph’s product to make this list. Perhaps West’s unfortunate mental illness played a part in this, though some believe West is one of James’ better teammates — especially for his first couple of seasons in Cleveland. It just seems West was a distraction at times, and James and Co. never knew what to expect from the talented, but troubled guard.
20. J.R. Smith, Cleveland (2014-15; 2017-18)
Lachlan Cunningham/Getty ImagesWho could ever forget James’ reaction near the end of regulation from Game 1 of the 2018 Finals when Smith dribbled around as time ran out of a tie game thinking the Cavaliers were ahead? Yes, Smith averaged 12.4 points and was a 40-percent 3-point shooter during the 2016 title run, but he also thought he was better than he actually showed. Smith could also be lazy and even volatile at times.
19. Joel Anthony, Miami (2010-11; 2013-14)
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The undrafted Canadian played a stunning 10 seasons in the NBA while averaging a little more than 2.0 points and just under 3.0 rebounds per contest. However, he earned two rings with LeBron’s Heat in 2012 and ’13. He did start in 2011-12, which still seems a bit astonishing. At 6-foot-9, Anthony was a big body, but really nothing more.
18. Derrick Williams, Cleveland (2016-17)
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James has played with a number of high-profile draft busts throughout his career. The second-overall pick in 2011, Williams averaged 8.9 points and 4.0 rebounds for his lackluster seven-season NBA career. That included 25 regular-season games and some playoff time with the Cavaliers a few years back. Williams’ time with the Cavs can be labeled as serviceable at best.
17. Jerry Stackhouse, Miami (2010-11)
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Is it fair to list one of the league’s most successful players on this list? Maybe not, but Stackhouse’s seven-game stretch during James’ first season in Miami is so forgettable that even the most diehard fans cannot recall it. An aging Stackhouse averaged 1.7 points and shot 3-of-12 from the field before the Heat waived him in November 2010.
16. Jared Cunningham, Cleveland (2015-16)
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A member of the “Who’s That Guy?” team, the shooting guard from Oregon State was a late first-round pick of the Cavs in 2012, but never played for them until their title season. He played 40 games, actually starting three, for Cleveland in 2015-16 before being traded to Orlando for Channing Frye. We’re guessing James did not think Cunningham, who averaged 2.6 points during his short stay in Cleveland, was worth keeping.
15. Justin Hamilton, Miami (2013-14)
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Following in the lines of Cunningham, the 7-foot Hamilton is a name some hardcore NBA fans probably don’t remember. He played just seven games with Miami at the end of the 2013-14 season, and never saw a minute of playoff time. Hamilton, who totaled 26 points and seven rebounds during his time in Miami, represents all the players James played with that we’ll never remember.
14. Kedrick Brown, Cleveland (2003-04)
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One of the bigger busts in NBA history, Brown was the 11th overall pick of Boston in 2001. The small forward lasted just four seasons, averaging 3.6 points for his career, which included 34 games with the Cavs during James’ rookie season. Brown actually averaged 5.3 points in those games, but was out of the league after one more season.
13. Chris Mihm, Cleveland (2003-04)
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Mihm enjoyed two good seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers in the mid-2000s, but his 22 game stretch during LeBron’s first NBA season were rather forgetful, much like his entire 3-and-a-half year run with the Cavaliers. By 2003-04, Cleveland was ready to move on from the seventh overall pick in the 2000 draft, and James never got the chance to perhaps make Mihm a better player.
12. Dahntay Jones, Cleveland (2015-16; 2016-17)
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Jones was hardly a contributor for James’ Cavs in those two seasons at the end of a career that was marred by injury and bad behavior, the latter which should not be associated with a first-round pick. Jones, though, earned a championship ring, but didn’t contribute much towards winning basketball games.
11. Sasha Pavlovic, Cleveland (2004-05; 2008-09)
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At one point, Pavolvic appeared to be the knockdown wing shooter James had yearned for during his time in Cleveland. The 19th overall pick in 2003, Pavlovic never averaged more than 9.0 points during his time with LeBron and the Cavaliers. In fact, the shooting guard wound up averaging 4.9 points and shooting 40.4 percent for his career which managed to span 10 rather unremarkable seasons.
10. Ronny Turiaf, Miami (2011-12)
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The former Gonzaga star had the good fortune of landing with the Heat in March of their 2012 title run. The high-energy big man actually started seven games in the playoffs that season, but didn’t offer much aside from taking up space and using up fouls — much like he did for a rather underachieving NBA career.
9. Sasha Kaun, Cleveland (2015-16)
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Kaun was drafted by Oklahoma City in 2008, but the only 25 games of his NBA career came with the Cavaliers during their championship season. The 6-foot-11 Kaun, who was a solid collegiate player at Kansas, barely managed to average a point and a rebound per game. Yet, he managed to earn a ring. Not a bad result for the former Jayhawk.
8. Dexter Pittman, Miami (2010-11; 2012-13)
Mike Ehrmann/Getty ImagesThe 6-foot-11 Pittman is another hanger-on who presented no real value to an NBA team during his brief playing career. Now, he did play 38 total games with LeBron and the 2012 NBA Champion Miami Heat squad, but he only averaged 3.0 points and 2.0 rebounds. However, Pittman had the last laugh as he got to live in South Beach, play with one of the greatest trios ever, and even earned a championship ring for his efforts.
7. Jamario Moon, Cleveland (2009-10)
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Moon made a name for himself as a rookie with Toronto as a high-flying act with defensive versatility. When he went to Cleveland, Moon averaged just 4.9 points while riding the end of the bench. He was out of the league by 2011. In the end, Moon was never able to sustain the early promise he showed.
6. Luke Jackson, Cleveland (2004-05; 2005-06)
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We’re starting to get to the true bust portion of this list. Jackson was a great college player at Oregon and was expected to do big things in the league when the Cavs made him the tenth overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft. However, injuries plagued his rookie season and his career totaled just four years and 76 games (regular season and playoff). Jackson averaged 4.5 points and was never able to become James’ co-star like Cleveland had hoped.
5. Dajuan Wagner, Cleveland (2003-04; 2004-05)
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Like James, Wagner was hyped plenty as a high school player and averaged 21.2 points in his one collegiate season at Memphis. Wagner was the sixth overall pick by the Cavs in 2002 – the season before LeBron arrived. However, after a solid start to his career, injuries hampered Wagner’s progression. He played just 44 games with Cleveland the next season and was out of the league after four years and 103 career games.
4. DeSagana Diop, Cleveland (2003-04; 2004-05)
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Another first-round pick of Cleveland who didn’t pan out. The 6-foot-10 Diop was a serviceable big for stretches, but certainly not a game changer nor a player worthy of his draft status. He averaged a paltry 1.6 points and 2.6 boards in 193 games over four seasons for the Cavs, the last two with James. Another player that James was unable to make better.
3. Sebastian Telfair, Cleveland (2009-10)
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“Bassy” was slated to be the next great prep-to-pro NBA star, and makes this list pretty much because he was a colossal bust. Telfair watched from the bench most his short time with Cleveland. When he did see action in the Cavs’ final four games of the 2009-10 season, James did not play in any of those contests. But for a short time, the Cavs boasted the NBA Draft’s biggest success story as well as arguably its biggest bust.
2. Eddy Curry, Miami (2011-12)
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Most probably forget that Curry actually won an NBA Championship despite his rather underachieving career. That came by playing 14 games — none in the playoffs — and averaging 2.1 points with 0.9 rebounds for the 2011-12 Heat. Now, perhaps Curry had too much pressure playing for his hometown Chicago Bulls — and things got a bit better early on with New York — but Curry was absolutely cooked by the time he reached South Beach.
1. Greg Oden, Miami (2013-14)
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Arguably the biggest bust in NBA history, Oden stands as a cautionary tale to all current and future decision makers in the NBA. Obviously, injuries played a major part in all of that, but Oden never came close to living up to the hype that was expected of him. However, he got one final chance with James and the Heat. Oden played 26 games, scored 67 points and grabbed 55 boards while Miami fell short of the title in 2011. Not even King James could carry the biggest bust in NBA history to a title.
