[Saba Sports News] LeBron James is advocating for modifications at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, his former home court. Following a Lakers-Cavaliers game on Saturday, which the Lakers won 121-115, James commented on the raised design of the court at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
This design feature has been in the spotlight following a recent on-court injury. Miami Heat guard Dru Smith sustained a season-ending ACL injury after slipping and falling awkwardly onto a lower floor level from the raised court.
James urged the NBA to take action on this safety concern, saying, “Yes, the league should look at it. They should address it,” as reported by Joe Vardon of The Athletic. He described Smith’s injury as “unfortunate.”
Vardon pointed out that the Cavaliers’ arena, since its opening in 1994, has had this unique design without prior similar incidents. However, it remains the only NBA arena with such a significant height difference between the court and the surrounding floor. Recently, the arena was even the focus of a debunked conspiracy theory.
Following the incident, the Miami Heat reportedly reached out to the NBA office regarding concerns about the Fieldhouse floor. James, who has spent a total of 11 seasons playing for the Cavaliers on this floor, is also pressing for the NBA to implement changes.