As a former teammate of LeBron James, Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade is more qualified than most to talk about his friend and what he brings to the court every night.
For many, one of LeBron’s most amazing attributes is his longevity, which is manifested in the dominance he has shown for the past 17 years — and even now, at age 36.
But in an appearance on the “No Chill with Gilbert Arenas” podcast, Mr. Wade took it a step further by saying this version of LeBron (the one that wears a Lakers jersey) is the best he’s ever seen.
“Now I watch his game and I say, ‘Does he have a weakness in his game’?” Wade said. “It starts from the rim all the way back to half court. He can do everything. Let’s take it all the way back from the rebound. He does everything now. … He’s shooting in the high 40s now and his range is out to the logo. You know midrange, he can post you up, face you up. Still going to dunk on you. His ability to see the floor is so much better now because he’s seen every coverage. … I feel like this is the best LeBron I’ve ever seen.”
In his tenure with L.A. so far, James is averaging 26.1 points, 9.1 assists, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game on 49% shooting. Compare that to his numbers in Miami and Cleveland, and it’s clear that the modern version of Bron is a much more well-rounded player, who does a little bit of everything on the court.
It’s also true that Bron is a much better long-distance shooter now than he was years ago.
So while the “King’s” athleticism may be down overall, he has improved in other areas of the game, and it has allowed him to not only stay relevant but actually improve as a player, even at 36-years-old.
It has been truly incredible to see.
