LeBron Massey Jr. had an inkling that his senior season at Warren would be a good one after transferring from Cristo Rey St. Martin.
But the 6-foot guard didn’t know where he would fit on the team that was the 2025 Class 4A state runner-up and features junior guard Jaxson Davis, the 2025 Mr. Basketball of Illinois, and senior guard Braylon Walker.
“Even before the season, I knew I would be able to make an impact here,” Massey said. “I just wasn’t sure how. I knew I was playing with one of the best players (Davis) in the state, besides someone like Braylon, who’s very underrated. I knew my role would be different.”
Although Massey was new to the program, he knew the vast majority of his new teammates and had played with some of them in AAU.
“I’ve been around most of these guys for a while, but it was a little difficult and definitely something new for me,” he said. “I knew when I came here that I’d have to work really hard to get a spot and to be where I’m at now. I just continued to come to practice every day and work hard, and thankfully I’m in this position where I can help my team win.”
Indeed, the wins have been plentiful for Massey and the Blue Devils (25-2, 12-0), who have already clinched the North Suburban Conference with two games to play, have a No. 1 seed in the Rockton Hononegah Sectional and are ranked No. 4 in 4A in the poll by The Associated Press.
After a slow start to the season, Massey has secured a place in Warren’s rotation and is routinely on the floor late in games.
“Coming from a smaller school as a guy who’s new to the program, I couldn’t be afraid to persevere,” he said. “That’s something I did earlier in the year. I wasn’t playing much and was on the B team in practice.
“Once I got a role and understood what I needed to do, my role shifted from practicing with those guys to getting reps with the starters and being out there in games.”
Massey’s attitude has impressed Warren coach Zack Ryan.
“Coming from a different school into a team that’s been together and had success, he’s done a really good job of accepting his role,” Ryan said. “Especially as a senior, that’s not an easy thing to do. He’s continued to play well as the season has progressed.
“He started out having to learn our system and learning what his role should be. But he’s given us some really good minutes the last couple of weeks.”
It’s a different role than Massey had at Cristo Rey, which lost by 19 points in a Class 2A regional opener last year.
“At my old school, I was one of the top scorers, so it was definitely a transition,” Massey said. “I had to learn to play a role on this team and learn to find that role, which is to be a good defender, hit the open shots when needed.
“Once I started to do that, I started playing a lot more, and I’m just grateful that I did find my role not too late into the season.”
Warren’s LeBron Massey Jr., right, guards Benet’s Jayden Wright during a game in the When Sides Collide shootout in Lisle on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (James C. Svehla / News-Sun)
Before Massey’s playing time increased, he was already a solid foil for Davis during practices. Making the state’s top player work hard day in and day out not only kept Davis on his toes and helped him prepare but also made Massey a better defender.
“He’s a huge defensive stopper for us,” Davis said. “Sometimes, I’m the best he’s going to get, so when he’s guarding other guys on the court, he can really stop them and make an impact on the game.
“I can definitely count on him, seeing how high-intensity he is. This is my brother for life now, and we’re going to make a run at state.”
Defense isn’t all that Massey provides. He has a good all-around game on offense and has enough athleticism and wingspan to get into the paint for rebounds. He also hit some clutch free throws late in Warren’s 83-75 win over Racine Lutheran of Wisconsin on Jan. 31.
“I’ve always been a pretty good free-throw shooter and been comfortable down the stretch of games,” Massey said. “It’s fun being in the game in those important times.”
Massey, whose younger brother Haze is a sophomore in the program, also isn’t afraid to speak up on the court.
“I’ve always been a talker, but as far as being that glue guy and bringing energy off the bench, it’s been a good process getting there,” he said.
Massey, whose father, LeBron Sr., played professionally in Argentina and Lithuania, is happy to contribute to the Blue Devils’ success.
“It feels good taking some pressure off my teammates’ shoulders because I know there’s a lot,” he said. “The focus now is to be able to help take my team as far as it can go and continue to take steps for us to hopefully be great.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
