OKC Thunder react to facing LeBron James in NBA playoff series

As the Thunder booted the Lakers to go home, the biggest question that hovered in the aftermath was James' future. In a David-Goliath Round 2 series, arguably the greatest player of all time rewinded the clock a couple of times as he hoped to make things interesting without Luka Doncic.

Now, let's see what James' future holds. At 41 years old, he's proven to play at an All-Star level. One of the biggest storylines that hovered this season was whether it was his last year with the Lakers. Whether that's through retirement or going elsewhere. Guess we'll see in the next few months.

Until then, here's what the Thunder said about facing James in an NBA playoff series. The basketball pantheon is one of the most recognizable names in the world:

Mark Daigneault

"I said it before the series. What he's doing at this stage of his career is remarkable. Just the fact that he's playing at this stage of his career is remarkable. The level he's able to get to at this stage is unbelievable. He is a guy that similar to what I said about the team. Collectively, if you make a mistake on him, he's going to make you pay for it. It actually helps you improve. You're a better team. He's developing your team because any crack, he's going to find it. He's not the only player we've played against. The great players in a playoff series do that to you. They sharpen your blade. But the fact that he can do it at this stage of his career, even just the first five minutes of Game 1, was a great model for how you start a series. I just have the deepest respect for him. Obviously, his career speaks for itself, but being up close and competing against him was a privilege. I have a deep respect for him."

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

"It was fun. It's amazing what he's doing out there at his age. It's very impressive. It's hard to put into words. He's not very old in the grand scheme of life. But for the NBA, he's pretty old. He doesn't seem like it out there. He was a force. He was at the top of the scouting report all series. His size gave us issues at times. He was impressive out there. I'm not sure we'll see anything like it again — his longevity and his greatness. It was super fun. Glad I got to get four wins, for sure."

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: OKC Thunder react to facing LeBron James in NBA playoff series