LeBron not driven by other players or teams: 'I'm self-motivated'

LeBron James says there will be no added motivation for him when the Los Angeles Lakers open the regular season against defending NBA champions the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

"I don't get motivated against (who) the opponents (are) pretty much anymore. I don't need it," James said Saturday, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "I don't want to say I don't get motivated to play, because I do get motivated to go against the competition. I love competing against the best. But I don't need an individual or a team to motivate me. I'm self-motivated. I'm enough."

The Lakers' 2022-23 campaign ended at the hands of the Nuggets, who swept L.A. in four games to win the Western Conference finals. The Nuggets went on to defeat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, capturing their first title in franchise history.

Looking ahead to his 21st season, James said he has the Larry O'Brien Trophy on his mind "on a daily basis" and is optimistic about the current Lakers squad.

"We could be a really, really good team," he said, adding, "I don't even look to June. It's too precious - the game is too precious - and I don't play with the basketball gods like that. I don't take it for granted."