In just a couple of months, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James will begin his 21st season in the NBA. That will put him in rare company, with only Vince Carter, Kevin Wilis, Robert Parish, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kevin Garnett having played at least 21 seasons. Playing 21 years means a lot of minutes played and, of course, a lot of teammates.
Unlike those players, he has held up surprisingly well compared to his peak. LeBron boasts career averages of 27.2 points on 50.5% shooting, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.3 assists. Meanwhile, in 2022–23, he posted 28.9 points on 50% shooting as well as 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists. That is not to say that he will play forever, but he clearly has more in the tank at this stage in his career.
Then again, entering his age 39 season, he will need to rely more on his teammates. According to Basketball Reference, he has had a total of 215 teammates overall. While many had a minimal impact on LeBron’s career, a few definitely did and were crucial to helping him become one of the most successful players in NBA history. With that in mind, let’s go through and rank LeBron’s 12 best teammates ever (with a minimum of 150 games).
LeBron Teammate #12: Mario Chalmers
Former Heat point guard Mario Chalmers became something of a scapegoat during his time with the team. However, he played the fifth most games with LeBron, and their .729 win percentage is the second-highest win percentage of any player that played at least 300 games with him.
Chalmers can’t take full credit for all of that success, but he was a starter during most of LeBron’s four-year run with the Heat and had several big games. He came up big for the Heat during the 2012 NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, helping Miami beat OKC with a couple of big games. Chalmers dropped 25 points in Game 4 and chipped in 10 points and seven assists in a close-out Game 5 win.
He also helped LeBron repeat by leading the Heat to a Game 2 win in the 2013 NBA Finals and in Game 6 too. Having a role player swing at least four NBA Finals games is unusual, though Chalmers was inconsistent too.
So much so that he was benched during LeBron’s final season in Miami, with the team either playing Norris Cole or going without a point guard rather than playing him. Needless to say, he couldn’t repeat his heroics in the 2014 NBA Finals, though that doesn’t change the success that he had playing alongside LeBron.
LeBron Teammate #11: J.R. Smith
Despite J.R. Smith’s many flaws as a basketball player, he ranks as one of LeBron’s better teammates. Early in his career, Smith bounced around the NBA even though he was a talented scorer with above-average athleticism. It wasn’t until he went to the Cleveland Cavaliers that he began to live up to that potential. Playing alongside LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, Smith became a reliable role player who could knock down shots on the perimeter like few others could.
During the 2015-16 season, Smith started 77 games with the Cavs and averaged 12.4 points while shooting a blistering 40% on 6.6 3-point attempts per game. He was even better in the playoffs that year during the Cavs title run, drilling 43.0% of his 7.2 3-point attempts per game.
Going up against a 73-win Golden State Warriors team left the Cavs with little margin for error, and Smith’s shooting allowed him to stay on the floor and play the third-most minutes of any player on the team. Of course, while Smith helped LeBron win a championship, his infamous mistake in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals against the Warriors might’ve cost him one.
With time left on the clock, Smith had the ball with a chance to take the lead, but he wasn’t aware of how much time was left in the game. LeBron’s frustrated reaction went viral, and a month later he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. Smith gives, and Smith takes away. Ironically, the Lakers would later sign Smith, and he would go on to win another title with LeBron, though he played a minor role. Still, he makes the cut.
LeBron Teammate #10: Anderson Varejao
Cavaliers fans and early LeBron fans will remember Anderson Varejao, who spent all but two of his 12 seasons in Cleveland, eight of which were with LeBron. In addition to his distinctive curly Afro, Varejao also had a distinctive game. Every good team needs a defensive-minded player, and he was certainly that, and his versatility on the end of the floor proved to be big on an up-and-coming Cavaliers team.
Varejao joined the Cavaliers in 2004, the season after LeBron was drafted, and quickly carved out a role as a defensive stopper and rebounder. At 6’10, he could battle big men in the post while also being nimble enough to stay in front of guards on switches. In the early 2000s, that was a rarity, and he developed a reputation as being a defensive pest due to his up-close style and knack for taking charges.
Actually, he led the NBA in forcing offensive fouls in 2006-07 during his first tenure with the Cavaliers. That came in handy during the Cavaliers’ unlikely run to the NBA Finals in 2007, with Varejao playing a key role. Although LeBron and company fell short going up against the San Antonio Spurs, Varejao held his own in that series even though he was tasked with guarding Hall of Famer Tim Duncan and switching on to another Hall of Famer, Tony Parker.
During LeBron’s four seasons in Miami, Varejao stayed in Cleveland, but when LeBron returned, Varejao was entering a different phase of his career. He was later traded to the Golden State Warriors and played against the Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA finals. Ironically, the Cavs came back to beat the Warriors in seven games, with Varejao unintentionally playing a role in the Warriors’ collapse.
He played just 8 minutes in game seven but was -9 and had three personal fouls, helping the Cavs turn the tide and win the title. Even though he was a longtime Cavalier, he declined Cleveland’s offer of a championship ring, though he won one as a member of the Warriors the following year.
Although he and LeBron never won a championship together, he did help him make the NBA Finals early in his career and was a key part of several great Cavaliers teams. Therefore, Varejao earns a spot on the list of LeBron’s best teammates.
LeBron Teammate #9: Tristan Thompson
While Tristan Thompson didn’t put up huge numbers as a teammate of LeBron’s, he was still a contributor to his success. Thompson was already on the Cavaliers when LeBron came back to Cleveland, and he proved to be a good rotation player once the team got going.
His rebounding, particularly his offensive rebounding, as well as his defensive ability, were key during LeBron’s second run with the Cavs, helping them make the NBA Finals four seasons in a row and win it all in 2016. Thompson’s ability to switch onto Curry proved crucial, allowing the Cavs to stay big while also being able to keep a body on him.
Actually, according to Scott Rafferty of the Sporting News, Thompson held Curry to 34.6% shooting from the field while defending him on 26 shot attempts. He was the second-best defender on the team in one-on-one situations behind—you guessed it—LeBron. LeBron later joined the Lakers, while Thompson later retired. However, Thompson came out of retirement and signed with the Lakers, again teaming with LeBron.
LeBron Teammate #8: Mo Williams
Guard Mo Williams has been somewhat forgotten, but for a brief stretch, he was the second-best player on two dominant teams. Williams was a former second-round pick who played for two other teams before he found a home in Cleveland. Playing next to LeBron, who was the de facto point guard, Williams proved to be a terrific fit as an off-ball threat.
During the 2009-10 season, he shot a terrific 43.6% from three on 5.2 attempts and averaged a career-high 17.8 points. Cleveland would go on to win 66 games, a franchise record, with Williams being named an all-star. Unfortunately, the Cavs were upset in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Orlando Magic. In 2010-11, the Cavs had a chance to redeem themselves after winning 61 games with Williams as their second-best player, but they were again upset, this time by the Boston Celtics.
LeBron left in free agency that summer and Williams was traded to the Clippers, seemingly ending the pairing. Fortunately, when LeBron came back to Cleveland, he was signed during the 2015-16 season to help fill in for Kyrie Irving, and he played well before setting into a bench role. That team would go on to win the title, allowing Williams to retire as a champion.
All in all, while Williams might not be his most high-profile teammate, they played three seasons together, and they finished with the best record in the NBA twice. More importantly, they won a championship together, putting him high on this list.
LeBron Teammate #7: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Despite missing two full seasons early in his career due to foot injuries, Zydrunas Ilgauskas later became one of Lebron’s best teammates in Cleveland. At 7’3, Ilgauskas had the size needed to protect the paint and defend post scorers. He was also a useful offensive player who could consistently knock down mid-range jumpers. Were he playing in the NBA now, he’d undoubtedly be a stretch five capable of knocking down open threes.
He wasn’t tasked with doing so in the mid-to-late 2000s. This was a missed opportunity given how effective LeBron was in Miami once they decided to play without a traditional center to increase spacing. Had Cleveland had the forethought, they might have won a championship on Lebron’s first go-round with the Cavaliers.
Once LeBron left for Miami, Ilgauskas was the only player to follow him from the Cavaliers. He played 72 games with the Heat before retiring after the 2010-11 season. Unfortunately, despite playing eight seasons together and making two NBA Finals, Ilgauskas and LeBron never won a championship together. Be that as it may, he is among the 10 best players that LeBron played with, as evident by his being a two-time NBA all-star while they were teammates.
LeBron Teammate #6: Ray Allen
After battling LeBron and the Heat in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals as a member of the Celtics, Ray Allen decided to join them. One of the best shooters pairing up with two of the best slashers in NBA history, LeBron and Dwayne Wade, proved to be a winning combination. Allen shot an astounding 45% on threes during the regular season. That helped Miami’s spacing, and LeBron and company won a staggering 66 games.
He later famously hit a game-tying three in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals against the Spurs. That forced overtime, and the Heat were able to force Game 7 and repeat as champions. While Miami came up short in the Finals the following year against the Spurs, had he missed that shot, it’s possible that LeBron and the Heat would have won just one title in four Finals appearances. “Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven…”
That makes Allen one of Lebron’s most important teammates, even though they only played together for a couple of seasons. LeBron would likely agree, so sixth it is for Allen.
LeBron Teammate #5: Kevin Love
When LeBron returned to the Cavaliers after spending four years in Miami, one of Cleveland’s first moves was to trade for Kevin Love. At the time, Love was a big-time player known for his shooting, rebounding, and passing with the Minnesota Timberwolves. But once he was traded to the Cavs, he was forced to take on a different role as the third star in a big three.
Despite his numbers dropping, he was still a key member of four NBA Finals teams, something that very few NBA players can say. In fact, while he was known as a bad defender during his time as a Cavalier, he secured them a championship in 2016 by locking up Steph Curry in the Warriors’ final offensive position in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Who saw that coming?
Over four seasons as LeBron’s teammate, Love averaged an impressive 17.1 points, 10 rebounds, and shot 37.7% on 5.7 3-point attempts per game. He also made two all-star teams during that span. Overall, while Love wasn’t the same player he was with the Timberwolves, he still proved to be a valuable player on four Finals teams and helped LeBron bring a championship to Cleveland.
LeBron Teammate #4: Chris Bosh
Before Kevin Love was the third member of a LeBron-led big three, there was 11-time NBA All-Star Chris Bosh. Bosh spent his first seven seasons with the Toronto Raptors, establishing himself as one of the best offensive big men in the NBA. However, once Hall of Famer Wade recruited him and LeBron to play in Miami, his role changed dramatically.
He went from averaging 24 points a game in Toronto to being Miami’s third offensive option and was often tasked with doing the dirty work like rebounding, defense, and spotting up to create open space for LeBron and Wade. To his credit, he played the role to perfection and despite not being known as a defensive player prior to joining the Heat, he became an impactful one thanks to his height, length, and mobility.
In fact, his size was one of the reasons why coach Eric Spoelstra made the faithful decision to move Bosh up to center during the 2012 NBA playoffs. That decision helped lead to the “Pace and Space” era for the Heat in which they sought to put the best players on the floor as opposed to playing more traditional lineups that included two big men.
With Bosh at center, and expanding his range out from the mid-range to taking threes, the Heat’s offense suddenly became far more dangerous. After they acquired Allen and Shane Battier, the Heat began playing more and more unorthodox lineups that put pressure on opposing teams.
Bosh was key to that game plan since he could defend big men in the post while also switching out and containing guards in pick and rolls. After making the change, the Heat won two championships in three seasons before LeBron left South Beach. Still, Bosh’s contribution to the Heat’s success shouldn’t be overlooked and he was a key reason why LeBron has two of his four championships.
LeBron Teammate #3: Kyrie Irving
Having 8-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving appear third on this list of best LeBron teammates seems low, but it’s not without reason. Although Kyrie may arguably be the most talented of LeBron’s many teammates, they played just three seasons together, and Kyrie missed a significant portion of time during that span.
Together, they made three straight Finals, a rare feat, and Irving hit the game-winning shot in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals to clinch the city of Cleveland’s first championship in 50 seasons.
That alone guarantees Kyrie a top-three spot on the list, though had he not gotten injured in the 2015 NBA Finals, he might rank number one.
He later forced his way out of Cleveland, leaving LeBron to carry more of the load without a true number two. Had he stayed, then LeBron might have too, but a season after Kyrie was traded to the Celtics, LeBron signed with the Lakers. Even after an abrupt divorce, there were rumors that LeBron and Kyrie might team up again with the Lakers, but that appears unlikely at the moment.
Even if they never play together in the NBA again, Kyrie did average 22.4 points and 5.3 assists per game and make two all-star teams as his teammate. He also helped LeBron topple a 73-9 team in the Finals and bring the Cavaliers their first championship. Based on that, Kyrie is definitely one of LeBron’s better teammates.
LeBron Teammate #2: Anthony Davis
Los Angeles Lakers power forward/center Anthony Davis is about to enter his fifth season as LeBron’s teammate. Still, he is already the third-best player to ever play alongside him in his 20-year career.
Considering that the Lakers gave up the farm to acquire Davis, including then-future all-star Brandon Ingram, he has lived up to expectations thus far. Davis played some of the best basketball of his career during the Lakers’ 2020 title run, where they beat the Heat in six games during the NBA Bubble.
He was also critical to the Lakers’ improbable 2023 run to the Western Conference Finals and was recently rewarded with a historic 3-year, 186 million-dollar extension as a result. While that is a questionable decision, he has been incredibly productive in his four seasons as a Lakers, averaging 24.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game.
With LeBron entering season 21, both he and the Lakers will need Davis to continue to play at a top-10 level to keep the team in title contention. Given his defensive impact and his impressive offensive numbers, that appears likely, though he will need to stay healthy to do so.
LeBron Teammate #1: Dwyane Wade
In the summer of 2010, Wade managed to lure LeBron away from Cleveland down to South Beach, along with Bosh. At the time, Wade was one of the five or 10 best players in the NBA, and the thought of him and LeBron, who was the best player in the league, pairing up seemed unfair.
Four straight Finals appearances would seem to prove that it was. Even then, the Heat’s Big 3 lost their first Finals together to the Dallas Mavericks, with LeBron disappearing in the series. Despite that, had it not been for Wade averaging 26.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists, Miami wouldn’t have even been competitive.
That carried over to the next season when Wade helped lead the Heat to a return trip to the Finals. There, they managed to beat an up-and-coming Thunder team that features three future MVPs. That was no easy feat, and while LeBron was rewarded with the Finals MVP, Wade was nearly as good during that series.
During the 2012-13 season, LeBron, Wade, and Bosh carried the Heat to one of the best regular season records in NBA history, going 66-16, including winning 27 straight games. However, in the Finals, the Heat were largely outplayed by the Spurs. Though, thanks to Allen, Miami managed to force a Game 7, where Wade and LeBron helped clinch the team’s second straight championship.
Wade wasn’t quite at the same level of player during and after that postseason run, and it carried over to the 2013-14 season, where he missed a significant amount of time due to knee issues. That came back to bite them in a rematch of the 2013 Finals against the Spurs. Wade could no longer score at will as he had during his prime, and Miami couldn’t stop San Antonio’s offensive attack.
They ended up losing five games, and LeBron left to return to Cleveland. Wade would eventually join him there, but he was a role player at that point. Still, he helped LeBron make four straight NBA finals and win back-to-back championships, thus making him LeBron’s best
teammate.