Perhaps no athlete has been under a microscope more throughout the course of his or her career than Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

Despite not getting in any trouble off the court in his 22-year career, James is often scrutinized for every move he makes.

One example of that is at the end of games when LeBron is often seen leaving the court and heading back to the locker room before the game clock hits zero. This is when games are decided and James is off the court, of course. Many people have criticized him for doing that, calling him a sore loser or poor sport.

But on the latest episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash, James explained that he does it in order to start his treatment process to be ready for the next game:

At the age of 40, the recovery process is extremely important for James and one of the main reasons why he continues to be one of the best players in the league. LeBron has played in 67 games this season, and he knows the only way to be available for his team is to take his routine seriously, which includes the immediate aftermath when a game ends.

James has often given flowers to other stars across the league, both in public and private. So if the Lakers lose and he is seen walking back to the locker room a little early, LeBron set the record straight that the reason for that is not that he’s being a sore loser, but rather he is being the process to be ready for L.A.’s next game.

LeBron James wants Lakers to build ‘great habits’ before playoffs

LeBron James and the Lakers are in the home stretch of the regular season and with the start of the playoffs just around the corner, he want his team to focus on building good habits.

“Obviously we know it’s the final stretch into the postseason, so we’re just trying to rack up great habits,” James said after a recent win. “Obviously sometimes the game goes the way goes and sometimes you play a great game and still lose and sometimes you can feel like you didn’t play well and win. It’s about habits. We’re just trying to build our habits right now going into the final stretch of the regular season.”

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!