Very few players even get the opportunity to be in the NBA. That number drastically reduces when it comes to making it to the NBA Finals. That’s the reason every player who gets to grace the stage treats it as the biggest moment of their career. However, for the NBA, it’s typically when they generate the most attention. And the clash between passion and business isn’t always enjoyable.

LeBron James knows all about it. He’s been to the NBA Finals ten times in his illustrious career. Through those experiences, he has learned one thing. The Finals aren’t like any other game in the NBA. The players have other duties, such as attending to the media a day before the game, and even having more time on their hands.

And this isn’t just exclusive to the NBA family. James has heard from some NFL players about how they hate the Super Bowl experience.

“It’s going to be like, and I’ve heard NFL guys say that they hate the Super Bowl. You know, they hate the Super Bowl. There’s guys I’ve seen that say that even when they wanted, they hated the Super Bowl because it didn’t feel like a game. It felt like a business. It felt like it was just like bring us here. Show them a dog and pony show, you know, and it didn’t feel like a regular game,” he unveiled on Mind the Game.

Having been through that, James knows the additional stuff can be “annoying” for the players. That’s why once he became a seasoned performer on the grand stage, LeBron James helped them navigate through the period. “Over the years, I definitely talked to them about it. Like, how do you manage your time? You know, because there are extra, you know, there’s idle time,” he told Steve Nash.

Still, not every player invites the increased media attention and likes the business side of the league. But that’s where the key lies. To LeBron James, every NBA Finals is a critical part of his “job” for the NBA. And to the 27 players of the Indiana Pacers and the OKC Thunder, he has just one message.

LeBron James wants the players to have fun

James gets it more than anybody in the league right now. Being a part of the NBA Finals isn’t always fun. Although there are two-day breaks between each game, players have to be on call a day prior to answer questions. Furthermore, the constant back-and-forth travel and professionalism can get tiring.

But in years of competing besides Pat Riley, James learned something. As long as the players treat whatever they do as a job, they could have a psychological advantage over their opponents. “If I had to give one piece of advice, though, as much as it is annoying, you know, just you take full advantage of it… Like you said, it’s not a promise that you can get there every year or multiple years. You just got to take full advantage of it, but also just keep the main thing, the main thing. And that’s one of the one things that I learned from Pat Riley,” said James.

Riley asked for one thing: to keep doing what’s necessary but not lose sight of the primary objective. They are there to claim the throne. And while there are other things they have to do, he wanted the team to remember how it’s all part of them getting closer to winning. And how does it become an advantage?

“If you’re able to do that, I think it gives you even a little bit more, you know, than if your opponent is not keeping the main thing, the main thing, you know,” LeBron James added. Most players from both the Thunder and the Pacers are going to the NBA Finals for the first time. They are going to have a lot to deal with in between. If the team loses, that keeps ringing in their mind. And in that state, the job part of it remains unchanged. That’s the reason the NBA Finals is regarded as a mental matchup.

The battle isn’t just on the hardwood. It goes far beyond the X’s and O’s, too. The team that can show resilience through it all without compromising the end goal is usually the one that prevails. And that’s the advice LeBron James is sharing with the NBA community. This chance might not come again. And if it doesn’t, maybe the same players will long for doing it all over again if they don’t treat it right the first time.