Jefferson: James never really respects you on the court, but he is with you as a companion

Former NBA player Richard Jefferson talked about James' relationship with Channing Fry in the "Road Trippin" podcast.

"LeBron, I don't think he really respects you on the basketball court. I think his respect for you as a person, as a companion, is where he is really with you," Jefferson said.

"If he doesn't like you, it's like, 'We're just teammates.' ... You'll never get an acceptance moment from LeBron. He sees you like you've done your job...so I respect the fact that you can do your job. If LeBron can trust you to do your job, he will support you until the end."

Before joining the Lakers in the summer of 2018, James had teammates with Jefferson and Fry at the Cavaliers. In 2016, James led the Cavaliers to win the first championship in team history, and Fry and Jefferson were also part of the championship team.