- NBA fans had a debate raging on whether LeBron James could play great defense in his next season
- Some believed James would still deliver on both ends of the floor
- LeBron James has not won Defensive Player of the Year yet
Ahead of LeBron James’ 21st season in the NBA, fans got into a debate on whether he could still play impactful defense in the 2023-24 season.
A discussion raged on Reddit when one of the fans posted the below message:
“We have improved the team over last year, but with Lebron’s foot injury. ‘m wondering if we can see him play good defense still? I think we have a shot every year with Lebron, but it’s hard imagining if we can make it out of the west if Lebron still has foot problems.”
This had quite a flurry of responses:
“He plays more 4/5 defensively now, but he’s a good defender in the playoffs.”
“All throughout the playoffs Bron had the best defense compared to everyone on the team (at age 38) save for AD and we’re still asking “Can Lebron still play good defense?”
“The important thing is for him to get his 3 back. His defense was great in the playoffs.”
“When it matters, yes, he absolutely can, but if you’re asking a 39-year-old to play both ends of the floor at maximum effort, you’re probably going to be disappointed even if he cannot do that at this point.”
“Lebron is easily the second-best defender on the team in the playoffs. I will be more worried about the guards being able to defend, to be honest.”
The general consensus was that he could play defense, even if he does 39 by the end of the next season. It’s also worth noting that he’s elite on the defensive end even if he hasn’t won Defensive Player of the Year, but he made the NBA All-Defensive First Team five times, and the second team once.
Lakers Head Coach Darvin Ham Believes LeBron James Could Play Till He’s 50
Ahead of his season 21 in the league, LeBron James has proved that he is still effective on the court. So while he has slowed down a bit athletically, he has made up for it with peak efficiency.
According to Darvin Ham, the Lakers superstar could play into his 50s if he really wanted to.
“At this age, what he is doing is unprecedented,” said Ham on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “Hopefully, he has a few more years to come, but if there is anybody that can do it, he can play until he is probably 50. Just the way he takes care of himself, his nutrition, his sleep habits, the regimen, everything he does pre-work, during the work, post-work, his regimen, everything he does to make himself not just available, but elite.”
There’s no doubt that James has continued to perform at a high level. With averages of 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game on 50% shooting, he has the numbers that show he has been playing at a whole another level.
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