LeBron James thinks the NBA could use a tweak, or two.
The four-time NBA champion made it clear he’s open to major changes that would shift the league closer to FIBA-style play.
“The 40-minute game is intriguing,” James said on a recent episode of his Mind The Game podcast with Steve Nash. “Because the game happens so damn fast… And there’s no easing into an international game. That gives it a little bit more of a sense of urgency. That’s something to discuss. That would be something we could possibly have a conversation about. It’d be hard because you start messing with the history of the game and all that stuff… I’ve been very intruiged with the goaltending rule. I actually love it. It’s exciting. It doesn’t happen as much as you would think.”
Do you guys want to see the NBA implement some FIBA rules? pic.twitter.com/2fsAIh219d
— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) June 19, 2025
James’ proposal aligns with earlier comments made by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who previously floated the idea of shortening games, but LeBron’s influence obviously adds more weight to the conversation.
Beyond the timing, James brought up a rule that might excite casual fans, especially when it comes to late-game rebounds and tip-ins.
Of course, changing the length of games would come with complications. The NBA’s stats, records, and entire history have been built around 48-minute contests. Cutting that down by eight minutes would drastically impact scoring averages, milestones, and fan expectations, including ticket value.
But James isn’t one to fear evolution.
He’s played more minutes than anyone in NBA history, and even now, entering his third decade in the league, he’s pushing for the game to get better, not just stay the same.
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