“This dude is actually really good”: LeBron James’ love for Madden NFL creates a splendid moment with a gamer as he spilled beans on NBA legend’s skills | NBA News

LeBron James. Image via: LeBron James | My Mixtapez/ X

A Madden NFL player, Marc-Anthony Rodriguez, who ranked in the top 2,000 worldwide, had an opportunity to play with NBA legend, arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, LeBron James.
Two days after Christmas, Rodriguez settled in for a casual game of Madden on his PlayStation. Waiting for the game’s skill-based matchmaking. His opponent that night was none other than Los Angeles Lakers legend, King James. In an exclusive interview with the Sporting News, Rodriguez detailed his experience of playing with James.

LeBron James Madden NFL opponent shared details of the NBA legend’s gameplay

Marc-Anthony Rodriguez noticed something different. His opponent controlled the game with ease and made calm, confident remarks through voice chat. Then, there was the voice itself— deep, collected, and strangely familiar.
“I’m a huge sports guy. I can pick out voices of basketball players,” Rodriguez told Sporting News about LeBron James who is ranked among top 100 in Madden 25. As the game progressed, his opponent casually commented on plays: “Hey Marc-Anthony, getting in the red zone.” Rodriguez shared that it wasn’t trash talk, just game talk. The more Rodriguez listened, the more convinced he became. It sounded just like LeBron James.
For context, Madden NFL is a staple to EA SPORTS game. According to the official site, the description of the game reads, “It’s the most realistic digital football experience gaming has to offer. Whether you play as your favorite team, create your own player, or play head-to-head online, Madden brings next-level gameplay right to your fingertips. It is an immersive, simulation-based, authentic NFL interactive experience, empowering fans to play out their NFL fantasy of winning the Super Bowl (and much more) on consoles, PC and mobile devices.”
Back to the story, Rodriguez then had a glance at the opponent’s username, Strive4G8ness23, which sent Rodriguez into detective mode. He remembered seeing that phrase associated with LeBron’s social media posts. The clues were right before his eyes, but he still couldn’t believe it. Mid-game, he paused to Google, What is LeBron James’ PlayStation Network account? The search confirmed his suspicions.
“It was LeBron. I tried my hardest not to freak out. I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is LeBron James!'”
Rodriguez, who had kept his mic off until that moment, finally spoke up. “You really sound like LeBron James,” he said.
The voice on the other end chuckled. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”
Not long after, LeBron admitted the truth— it was him. The moment soon turned into a friendly conversation as they continued playing. Rodriguez even FaceTimed his brother, who jumped in with rapid-fire questions. LeBron shared his Super Bowl pick, talked about his best career moments, and named the toughest NBA crowds he had faced— Detroit, Oklahoma City, and Chicago topping the list.
“He’s really down to earth. We were just talking and laughing, making jokes,” Rodriguez said. “You wouldn’t suspect someone that successful to be that chill.”
Rodriguez further shared that he was ruthless in the game. “He is insane at Madden,” Rodriguez admitted. “The videos and pictures he posts aren’t for show. This dude is actually really good.”
LeBron’s obsession with Madden is no secret. He has publicly professed his love for the game, once tweeting, “I LOVE THIS GAME SO DAMN MUCH!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤷🏾‍♂️” His competitive nature and strategic mind make him a formidable player, both on the court and in virtual football.
“I absolutely do think he anticipates plays,” Rodriguez noted. “To be really good, you have to know what you’re doing and play a lot. He knows coverages really well and how to disguise them. He would drop his safeties so it looks like he’s playing man-to-man, but then they drop back. That eliminates the seam route so you can’t run deep.”
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Rodriguez gave it his all with the Eagles’ offense, but LeBron’s Ravens defense shut him down. The final score? 35-7— another dominant win for Strive4G8ness23.