"I think we learned that there was still a team better than us" - LeBron James dropped a humble admission after 2007 Finals loss

LeBron James arrived in the NBA with talent few had seen, with everyone thinking he was good enough to carry any team to contention. But even he learned that skill alone wasn’t enough to win it all.

James’ first Finals in 2007 against the San Antonio Spurs ended in a sweep, a humbling lesson that would fuel his drive for greatness. Despite having a great season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, facing a Spurs team led by Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Bruce Bowen was too much to overcome for James. It was a harsh reality check and a humbling defeat.

“I think we learned that as good as we thought we was, there was still a team out there that was better than us,” he said after the Spurs swept the Cavs via the New York Times.

James fared well, averaging 22.0 points per game in the Finals. However, his shooting efficiency dropped significantly, from 47.6 percent in the regular season to just 35.6 percent in the series, mostly because the Spurs tightened their interior defense and dared James to take the outside shots.

Part of LBJ’s learning curve

James’ inconsistent jump shot proved he still had gaps in his game. That’s why he relentlessly worked on it, eventually evolving into a three-level scorer.

“Because of the Spurs in a lot of my early years is part of the reason why my jumpshot is a lot better today. I wasn’t comfortable with shooting the ball at that point in time of my career. I give a lot of thanks to their scheme,” he confessed.

James steadily improved his shooting efficiency. He also worked on his 3-point shot, and today, he has a career average of 34.9 percent.

There is no doubt that James worked hard to elevate his game, which is why he is recognized as one of the most dominant players today. However, another lesson James picked up from that 2007 Finals was that one player could not win titles alone, which influenced his move to the Miami Heat in 2010.

Misconceptions about Heat’s Big 3

When James decided to join the Heat to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, the move was heavily criticized. Some felt he was taking the easy route to a championship, which largely affected his reputation.

Being an unrestricted free agent in 2010, James elected to join the Heat. He was aware that Miami had the best path to title contention. However, LBJ pointed out that beyond that, fans never factored in the sacrifices that he, Wade and Bosh made.

“They all thought we were coming together in a selfish manner. In reality, we all made sacrifices. We didn’t care about individual accolades or individual praise. All we cared about was trying to compete for a championship,” James said.

The decision resulted in heavy criticism, with many questioning his loyalty and competitiveness. Despite all that, James silenced his detractors by winning several championships — he won two with the Heat (2012 and 2013) and one when he returned to Cleveland in 2016. His last championship was with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

James went through several stages to evolve into the player he is today. Even at 40, he remains dominant, breaking records and defying Father Time. With retirement farthest from his mind, James’ goal appears clear – win more championships before calling it a career.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 15, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

“I think we learned that there was still a team better than us” – LeBron James dropped a humble admission after 2007 Finals loss

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