- LeBron James has been preparing like “a rookie” for his 21st season
- James has frequently “been in the weight room”
- The superstar has clearly been putting in the work this offseason
Forward LeBron James is going into his 21st season, and the superstar is still as good as ever. His longevity has been impressive, and he’s a big reason why the Los Angeles Lakers are considered contenders.
A large part of LeBron James’ continued durability has been his insane work ethic. In fact, Rob Pelinka recently revealed that LeBron James has been preparing like “a rookie” for next season and doing early workouts to find success next season.
“It’s staggering for a player who has 20 years under the hood already and is preparing for 21 like he’s a rookie,” Pelinka said per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “He’s been doing 6 a.m. workouts. Probably been in our building as much as any player this offseason. Been in the weight room as much as any player. Any team LeBron’s played for, it’s been pretty uniform that his work sets the tone.
“There has been nothing but an increase in seeing that here. To me, it’s let’s be about it, let’s not talk about it. He’s definitely been about it this offseason.”
It is absolutely insane that James is still willing to put in a lot of work to continue dominating in the NBA. A lot of players would be declining at 38, but it seems as though James is continuing to find ways to stay relevant.
This past season with the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists while shooting 50.0% from the field. He is clearly still an elite player, and he might have another All-NBA season next year.
LeBron James Will Get A Special Exemption From The Resting Rule
Starting with the 2023-24 season, the NBA will implement a new role where teams cannot rest two stars in the same game. LeBron James is one of the players who will get a special exemption from this rule, and it is clear that the league wants to ensure that veteran stars are still able to get the necessary time to recuperate and rest during the regular season.
“Here are the exceptions the NBA will pre-approve but you have to send them a written notification within a week of the game. There are designated back-to-back allowances for players who are 35 years old on opening night or have career workloads of 34,000 regular season minutes or 100,000 regular season and playoff games combined. Your list for this is Chris Paul, Mike Conley, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, DeMar DeRozan, and James Harden.”
This could certainly help LeBron James stay fresh for the playoffs. Part of the reason he injured his foot last season was due to him having to play heavy minutes to keep the Lakers afloat without Anthony Davis, but this year, James will likely get more opportunities to rest due to the team’s improved depth.
The Los Angeles Lakers Will Be Legitimate Contenders Next Season If LeBron James Is Healthy
The Los Angeles Lakers definitely have the talent to get far in the Western Conference next season. However, the key will be keeping James as healthy as possible when the playoffs come around.
Even if LeBron James doesn’t have to be the best player on the Lakers due to the presence of Anthony Davis, the team still needs him to win a championship. Hopefully, we see them get far next season, and we’ll see what happens in the future.
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