LeBron James is going to be entering his 20th season in the NBA, an incredible accomplishment for a man that already leads the NBA in most minutes played and has been one of the most dominant forces in the sport from almost the year he came into the league.
Having 20 years of mileage on you and still being one of the most dominant players in the NBA is something we haven’t seen before, but LeBron is proving it can be done. On the Lakers media day, LBJ sat down with Chris Haynes and discussed the milestone season coming up for the 37-year-old.
"It was just about how I was going to grow… and make and impact… Sitting here 20 years later, I've been able to do that."
–@KingJames reflects on 20 seasons with @ChrisBHaynes at #NBAMediaDay https://t.co/7uKTXrSHwM
— NBA TV (@NBATV) September 26, 2022
“I didn’t think about how long I’d be in the league. My expectation for myself was that I knew I belonged and could play the game, but I had to continue to learn and grow. I was 18 years old, so very young and I didn’t know much about the pro game besides watching it and studying it. I knew that I knew how to play basketball, so it was about how I was going to grow and continue to get better. Playing the game for as long as I wanted to and make an impact, like a real impact. Sitting here 20 years later, I’ve been able to do that.”
LeBron James Incredible Longevity
James is on the path to breaking most NBA records that deal with longevity. He is going to tie Kobe Bryant for the most All-Star Game appearances this season, in addition to possibly surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. He already leads the NBA in most all-time All-NBA selections and is a strong candidate to be top 10 in almost every major statistical category’s all-time records.
The 4-time champion can actively compete for more titles and still be the best player on that team, provided he had a good team around him. The current Lakers are not fancied for any major success, and rightfully so, given their roster construction.
This sort of longevity in any sport by any sportsperson is unparalleled. LeBron is going to continue being a dominant force in the NBA until he decides it’s time to call it quits. Until then, we will continue being spectators to one of the greatest players to ever play the game.
