According to LeBron James, the lessons over the years, along with his perfect understanding of his body, were the reasons behind his GOAT status.
The 37-year-old, playing his 20th year in the NBA, continues to rise in his status as one of the greatest to play the sport. James has been a driving force for the three franchises that he’s played for so far in his decorated career.
Speaking to the media after the Los Angeles Lakers’ 128-109 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, the veteran shared his two cents on how he’s understood his body while incorporating all the insights and lessons he’s learned to mask and even weed out any weaknesses in his game.
Such has been his dominance that ‘King James’ deserved more than just the four MVP awards, and should he surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time scorer, he might be in the race for one more beating the younger superstars this season.
LeBron James Credits His Coaches And His Understanding Of His Body For His Consistent Run
All signs point to Michael Jordan when spoken about the greatest NBA player ever. But James was a star destined to be the next MJ, and his longevity has already seen him one rung below the Chicago Bulls legend.
James will surely find a place in the Mount Rushmore of basketball, and for the Lakers superstar, his consistency comes from experience.
After yet another dominating display against the Trail Blazers (31 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists), he explained how he stays on top of his game when asked about adapting to the game at this point of his career.
"I don't have to rely on super duper athleticism to be effective." – LeBron James shares his thought on his game evolving throughout the years and Russell Westbrook's infectious energy. pic.twitter.com/xaaHqziIEC
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) December 1, 2022
“I don’t have to rely on super duper athleticism to be effective.” – LeBron James shares his thought on his game developing throughout the years and Russell Westbrook’s infectious energy.
The complete quote follows:
“My game has evolved and I don’t have to rely on super duper athleticism to be effective. My first 12 years… or maybe 11, I was just super duper athletic. And I cannot be as efficient. My first few years, I knew if I could take off, and gonna be there a lot longer than you. But I am also smart enough to know that in order for me to be the best, I need to continue to grow my game.”
“A lot of teams, a lot of coaches helped me. Coach Pop (Gregg Popovich) helped me. Helped me on my pick and roll constantly. Dwane Casey and the defense that he had on me. Rick Carlisle helped me as well. And so a lot of those coaches helped me get better because I knew that in order for me to be the best where I can be one of the greatest of all time, I can have no weakness.”
The “no weakness” makes for a bold statement, but James’s numbers serve as proof in the pudding. His career stats see him average 27.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.3 assists in 1,380 regular-season games. His playoff numbers read 28.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists from 266 games.
The Lakers will certainly need a healthy James if they intend to stake their claim for the postseason and beyond. And if he continues to dish out this kind of production, they just might get there.
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