LeBron James’ Incredible Memory Stunned Andre Drummond After Key Mid-Game Advice

You spend over 20 years in the NBA, more than half your life, and it's only natural that you start seeing things others don't. LeBron James has seen it all and been through it all. And one of his greatest strengths, as revealed by a former teammate, is his ability to break down and analyze the game at an elite level.

Andre Drummond shared a locker room with James during their time together on the Lakers in 2021 and was mesmerized by how well he broke the game down. During one of their games, LeBron decided to give the big man some advice mid-game on where to focus his defensive efforts.

"LeBron is probably one of the smartest guys I've been in the locker room with," Drummond said in a recent interview.

"Very detail-oriented. He knows the other team's scouting report, top to bottom. ... I remember one game ... I overhelped with somebody in the corner. He was like, 'Don't f**king go out there. That man is shooting 32% from 3. Go up to the top.' I said, 'How the f**k do you know what people shoot percentage-wise?'

"It was the craziest s**t I've ever heard," Drummond continued. "I'm like, 'Okay.' And granted, (the opponent) is missing shots too. He's like, 'Don't go there. Go up. Leave him.' I'm like, 'Alright, I gotta start watching film a little bit differently. Start looking at the analytics.' He knows the analytics from top to bottom. Super super smart dude. Fun dude to be around."

This was the latest example of one of James' former teammates speaking about the strength of his mind. Even during his time with the Cavaliers, he was always searching for ways to get better and analyzing every team's plays.

Drummond and James shared the court only briefly during the 2020-21 season and didn't enjoy much success together. Still, it was enough for Drummond to understand what made James so great. Ask Kevin Love, an important figure in the Cavaliers' 2016 championship run alongside James, and he'd tell you all about the King's basketball IQ.

"He [LeBron] was the type of guy that, in like shootaround, or even out there on the floor, he could do every team scout, he knew every team's plays, he knew every guy's tendencies, he watched endless amounts of basketball. It's a true gift," Love said.

But perhaps the person who best summed up James' greatness was Doc Rivers, who said in a Sports Illustrated interview, "There are a lot of people in the league with LeBron's body… There's no one in the league with his brain."

LeBron James Has a Photographic Memory

Playing basketball isn't just about deciding on the spot what move to make next. Teams practice plays during training sessions year-round to make sure they count when the lights shine bright. For James, that's not a biggie.

The Lakers legend remembers everything he sees, and that's because he has a photographic memory. This gives him the ability to recall exactly how basketball plays turned out at specific moments.

"I can usually remember plays in situations a couple of years back, quite a few years back sometimes," James said in a 2014 interview.

"I’m able to calibrate them throughout a game to the situation I’m in, to know who has it going on our team, what position to put him in. I’m lucky to have a photographic memory and to have learned how to work with it."

It's also one of the reasons why James has been so incredibly consistent since making his debut in 2003. Over 23 seasons, he has never averaged less than 20 points, including a record 20-year run averaging 25 or more. No other player in history comes close to that. Even at 41, he was still putting up 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds in the 2025-26 season.

Father Time is still waiting, and he might have to wait a little longer. There are rumors of James considering retirement from the NBA before the season tips off, but there's also a widespread belief that he still has another season left in the tank.

His body may not be prime LeBron-esque anymore. At 42, it's absurd to even expect that of him. But his mind? Sharper than ever, and that gives him the ability to adapt to situations based on his age and fitness.