As the king of longevity, LeBron James has already broken every previous metric for sustained greatness. Even now, at 41 years old, he delivers at an All-Star level with averages of 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 51.5% shooting and 31.7% shooting from three.
At this point, it’s clear that LeBron is nearing the end of his storied career, but it’s not because of anything physical. In fact, according to James, who recently had a chat with Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, he could easily average at least 10 points per game for another 20+ years.
“I could average 10 points in the league for a long time. Like a long time,” said James. “65 or something like that. I don’t get fouls called for me anymore, so I would say 3 layups and 4 FTs, but they don’t call fouls for me. So if I get 2/3 layups in a half, that’s 12 points right there.”
At 41, it’s amazing that LeBron is still in the league, but it’s not surprising. Over the years, he’s devoted countless hours and hard-earned dollars to take care of his body and maintain his peak physical form. Those efforts have allowed him to stay relevant after 23 years in the league, coming off season averages of 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 51.5% shooting and 31.7% shooting from three.
With hardly any visible signs of decline, it’s believable that LeBron still has multiple years left, but averaging 10 points per game at 60+ years old seems like a stretch. At that point, LeBron would be much slower and weaker overall, and his body would struggle to keep up with people who are several decades younger. When it comes to scoring, he wouldn’t have the same athletic burst he has now that makes it much harder for defenders to stay in front of him.
Even so, if anyone can pull off a feat like that, it’s LeBron. As much as his physical game remains timeless, it’s his mental game that really keeps him going. His understanding of the sport is second to none, and his basketball IQ has a way of bringing out the best in his teammates. More than any other player, he understands how to be effective in various ways, and he knows how to make an impact through less tangible methods.
As most players age, they rely increasingly more on free throws to score, but LeBron says he may not get the calls he needs to keep him above 10 points per game. Fortunately, his layup package will never fade, and he’s certain he could make up for the lack of free throws with easy buckets at the rim. He would only need to score a few field goals every game, which sounds relatively easy for a guy who scored at least 10 points in 1,297 straight regular-season games.
Unfortunately for fans, the chances of LeBron actually playing into his 60s are zero. After 23 years (and counting), his body has taken a toll, and he’s already admitted that the end is near. He’ll likely want to retire before experiencing any sharp decline in his skills, but he could probably average 10 or 15 points a game for at least another decade, and it says a lot about how impressive his durability really is.
