Of the random collection of role players on last years Cavaliers team, Cedi Osman often stood out as a fan favorite and more notably a “LeBron guy”.
This year represents a new challenge for Osman as the 2nd year man from Macedonia will be tasked with more of a leading role on a new look Cleveland team. Osman sat down with Kaelen Jones from Sports Illustrated and detailed how a Las Vegas dinner with LeBron turned into a petrifying pickup game with the best of the NBA.
One July evening, Cedi Osman was seated inside a Las Vegas restaurant at dinner with LeBron James. Osman, less than a month removed from completing his rookie NBA season with the Cavaliers, had recently returned stateside after playing two FIBA World Cup qualifying contests with the Turkish national team. James told Osman he planned on training in Los Angeles soon, and extended an invitation for the second-year small forward to work out with him.
“[LeBron] said, ‘If you wanna join me, you can come,’” Osman told Sports Illustrated from Istanbul, during a Skype interview. “I was like, ‘Of course. That would be perfect. I would like to join you.’” But about a month later, when Osman showed up to the UCLA gym, he found James wasn’t the only one accompanying him. Fellow NBA superstars Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard arrived, too.
Osman, a 6’8″, 215-pound 23 year old, still gushes thinking about it. “I don’t know how I could describe my words about that,” he said. “For real, because those are the three best small forwards in the NBA, right? Like, the best.” As the group started getting shots up, Osman struggled to contain his excitement. He said his hands shook during his first attempts. “It was going all short,” Osman said. “KD and ‘Bron was telling me, ‘Lift the ball up! Shoot the ball up!’ And I was like, ‘I can’t, man! I’m excited!’
“But it was, for real, amazing.” The social mediasphere found the sight amazing, too. Although most reactions came in response to James, Durant and Leonard training together, specifically, Osman didn’t mind. For him, the value of the day went beyond internet clout. “That was something that I think every player would want,” Osman said, “To work with those guys, to share the floor with them.” Now, entering his second NBA season, Osman will have his first chance to prove he belongs without James.
Who can blame Osman for being nervous? He also seemed rather inspired on social media after the scrimmage.
Flip the page for what Cedi had to say about the infamous workout pick.