During the second quarter of Tuesday‘s Lakers win over the Jazz—LeBron James‘s season debut after a bout with sciatica—James, after establishing position in the post with the ball, tossed up a lob pass to big man Deandre Ayton, who jammed the ball home for the dunk. It was the first time that James and Ayton had connected for an alley-oop in their basketball careers.
Or was it?
According to Ayton, it was, in fact, the second time the two have linked up for an alley-oop.
"I was just telling him a fun fact," Ayton told reporters after the Lakers‘s 140-126 victory. "He threw me an alley-oop, I said, 'That‘s my second alley-oop from you. First one was when I was in eighth grade at your camp.' "
“I was telling him a fun fact: He threw me an alley-oop and I told him, ‘That’s my second alley-oop from you. The first one was when I was in eighth grade at your camp.’” Deandre Ayton on playing his first game with LeBron James on the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/qZ3kmgN0OT
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 19, 2025
"He laughed and he was asking me where was it," Ayton continued. "And I was telling him it was a LeBron James Camp in Los Angeles—See I remember the play and everything. You know, he was court hopping and playing with the campers and I remember the one play, he did a drill with me and threw the alley-oop and I finished it. I couldn't believe he threw it.
"And now here I am again. I can't believe he threw the lob."
What a fun story from Deandre. Time flies. https://t.co/XlZqyXlvJC pic.twitter.com/uYCAxIsr5T
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) November 19, 2025
Aside from a truly awesome full-circle career moment for Ayton, the tidbit was also surely one guaranteed to make James, who is 40 years old and has been playing in the NBA for over two decades, feel old.
LeBron on his lob connection with Ayton
James spoke about how much "fun" he was having out on the court. And it's not hard to see why, as James logged 12 assists in 30 minutes. When asked about his connections with forward Jake LaRavia and Ayton, James explained that he used his time away from the court constructively.
"I can fit in with anybody," James said. "I don't even understand why that was even a question. What‘s wrong with these people out here? I could fit in with anybody. So, just watching the guys the first 14 games and seeing, I was putting myself in position, while I was watching the games, of how I can help the team and how I could be successful to help those guys."
James finished with 11 points, 12 assists, three rebounds and a steal.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Deandre Ayton Had 'Fun Fact' for LeBron James, and It Is Sure to Make Him Feel Old.
