- Former league point guard gets real on LeBron’s amazing longevity
- Arenas says James’ being an All-Star at 38 puts pressure on the players
- LeBron is making it unacceptable for players to decline at 31
As arguably the greatest player of all time, LeBron James has no shortage of NBA achievements. Out of them all, however, his most impressive may be the amazing endurance he’s demonstrated over 20 long years in the NBA.
It’s truly unprecedented how long James has been able to stay elite, and, according to former point guard Gilbert Arenas, it’s creating new expectations for how we view the longevity of players.
“It just puts so much pressure on people,” argued Arenas. “The fact that [LeBron] is 39 doing what he’s doing, makes 30 seem like you’re a rookie. Like, now we have a glimpse at what 38 and 39 is capable of doing, which means when players are looking like they’re slowing down at 31/32, I don’t know how we’d accept that anymore.”
Anthony Davis did everything the Lakers asked him to do!
Don’t let LeBron’s dominance at his age make you think that AD still not HIM. pic.twitter.com/qZjhE5CFeJ
— Gil’s Arena (@GilsArenaShow) August 8, 2023
LeBron certainly isn’t the first player to enjoy prosperity at almost 40 years old, but he is the first who continues to hold up All-Star expectations at this stage of his career.
We obviously cannot expect every player to follow the same path as LeBron, but he is changing the precedent about what it means to be a 38-year-old in the NBA.
No longer can players be dismissed after so many years of experience. Now, we know that older veterans with enough talent, motivation, and luck can still make an impact on the game in a huge way.
Is LeBron The Greatest Of All-Time?
The GOAT debate will never reach a consensus, but when you consider LeBron’s career, it’s impossible for his longevity not to stand out. Being elite for two decades has put him in rare company…
“I think your legend grows every day, and the longer you’re available (to play). Longevity, and consistency, ultimately breeds greatness,” said Ray Allen on James. “LeBron has been persistent. And he has been available for a long time. So, the longer he plays, gets more buckets, more passes, and more rebounds, it just makes him more noteworthy for a long period of time…”
Even if LeBron retired two years ago, it would have been enough to make him a living legend, but he’s still going strong today and might have several more years to add to his already accomplished career.
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