In a whirlwind 24-hour period, the Celtics went from winning a hotly-contested playoff series against the Wizards to winning the NBA lottery. After all that, LeBron James–in town with the Cavaliers to face the Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals–is reacting to all the news just like everyone else.

“I was just like, wow, okay,” James told reporters in Boston on Wednesday in describing his reaction to the lottery. “To be a very, very good team and get the number one pick…they got the better side of that situation with Brooklyn. I’ll tell you that.”


Asked if the news of getting the first pick in the draft would ratchet up the home crowd at TD Garden for Wednesday night’s Game 1, James spoke from experience in his appraisal of Celtics fans.

“I don’t think Boston fans need anymore pumping up,” he said. “You’re born with pump, if that makes any sense.”