LeBron Talks Music Influence on His Play, Who Does He Listen to Before Knicks Games?

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has long been known for his music fandom, and he revealed how it can drive his play on the court.

While speaking to Marques Brownlee on THE MAIN THING (6:05 mark), James explained that he feels that the intricacies of music have a direct correlation to playing basketball.

"Basketball is such a rhythm. It's literally like R&B; there's a rhythm and blues feel to it," James said. "You move a certain way, you feel a certain way while you're out there. Me being able to use that rhythm and blues, and then get to a hip-hop section where now I'm being a little bit more hardcore with it, or then I slow it down with a little jazz and pizzazz."

As for what's playing in his headphones, the 40-year-old said his musical tastes can vary based on multiple factors, including who his opponent will be on a given night. When he faces the New York Knicks, for example, he said he cues up music from a list of NYC hip-hop legends.

"Depending on the magnitude of the game, depending on the city. Like, if I'm going into New York, I just might listen to all Jay-Z, Biggie, Wu-Tang, Nas, I might just do straight those guys," he said. "It could be the opponent; if it's a tougher opponent, I might be in something that's more rugged. Or for an opponent that sometimes you lose sleep over, you may need to be a little more calm with the music, just so you don't get too hype."

James has yet to take the court this season while recovering from sciatica, but he's been ramping up for his 23rd season, which will set a new NBA record for most seasons played. The Lakers have gotten off to an 8-3 start in his absence and will look to keep the good vibes going when they meet the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder (11-1) on Wednesday night.