National Basketball Association

LeBron James lists his top three friends in the NBA

Published Apr. 1, 2015 2:20 a.m. ET

foxsports

A lot has been made this season about the level of friendship among the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Big Three. LeBron James sounds like he’s getting a bit sick of all that talk.

In a lengthy interview with Cleveland.com published Tuesday, James said he only considers three NBA players his good friends: Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and former Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade.

James, Anthony and Wade all were drafted within the top five picks of the 2003 NBA draft, and Paul was taken fourth overall two years later.

“People get so infatuated with the best of friends, things of that nature,” James said. “First of all, I’ve got three very good friends in this league, and that’s Carmelo, and that’s C.P., and that’s D-Wade. And after that I have a bunch of teammates. I have guys I ride for every day.

“But Kyrie (Irving) is a guy I understand how important he is to this team, how important he is. And the same with (Kevin Love) as well.”

The Cavs are proving this season, however, that you don’t need a team of best friends to win basketball games. Cleveland has won 11 of its last 14 games and likely will enter the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

“In order for us to reach our potential, the Big Three has to be big,” James said. “And it can’t just be Kyrie one night, me one night, and Kev. We all have to be clicking at the same time in order for us to be successful.”

More from NESN.com: