Mike Fratello has seen enough basketball to know when a player is truly clutch. And in his eyes, LeBron James belongs in that conversation.
Fratello could already tell that James has what some of the greatest clutch players in NBA history have. However, it wasn’t like that of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, or Kobe Bryant; it was more of a hybrid type of clutch that is understandably not easily recognized by most fans.
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Fratello sees LBJ’s clutch game as more than just game-winning shots. Instead, he reckons that James uses a distinct and well-balanced approach in closing games.
“He is a legitimate closer to the extent that his team wants to get the ball in his hands at the end of a close game because they trust him to make the right decision, whether that be to shoot the ball or pass it,” Fratello once wrote of James.
“He balances his contributions in these areas according to what he must deliver in order for his team to win,” he assessed. “To compare King James to any individual player of the past reflects a lack of understanding of what his true value as a player is.”
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There’s nothing wrong with Bron in the clutch
Despite stating that James’ clutch game is quite unorthodox, Fratello doesn’t think The King should be criticized for it. If anything, Fratello argued that LBJ deserves to be recognized for his ability to deliver when it mattered most or when the going gets tough.
According to the 1986 NBA Coach of the Year, he knows what makes an effective closer or clutch player. In James’ case, Fratello believed that it was different, but that doesn’t mean it’s not legit.
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Fratello concluded there’s nothing wrong with James’ clutch game or approach in closing games. For him, it’s the people who couldn’t understand how he works his magic who refuse to acknowledge it.
“To be a closer by the narrow definition of executing the winning shot every time requires one to not only be a perimeter player, but also to be a natural shooter/scorer, effectively eliminating both the great low post players of the game due to the ease with which they can be double-teamed and also the pure playmakers of the game as scoring is not their primary responsibility,” Fratello further explained.
“Herein lies the fundamental disconnect between what LeBron actually is and how he is analyzed,” he pointed out.
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James has proven it
Fratello’s fellow former Cleveland Cavaliers coach and Coach of the Year, Mike Brown, is also convinced that James is undeniably a clutch player. For Brown, LBJ has proven time and again that he could hit the game-winning shot.
In fact, Coach Brown still vividly remembers how James lifted the Cavs to a playoff game victory in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009 against the Orlando Magic. However, like what Fratello explained, Brown pointed out that James’ clutch game is diverse.
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“He’s more than capable of winning games for you on a last possession,” Brown once said of James. “He’s hit game-winners… He’s not afraid to do it. But he’s going to make the right play at the right time.”
All told, both Coach Brown and Fratello were right about their take on James’ clutch game. His game-winning plays may not be as cold or as highlight-worthy as those of other all-time greats, but in the end, they still got the job done and games won.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 9, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.