LeBron James made his NBA debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Sacramento Kings in October 2003 at 18 years old. Today, he played against the Cavaliers for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 40, becoming the first player in NBA history to play as a teenager and a 40-year-old.
It’s hard to track how many NBA records LeBron holds because of his longevity, but this is a particularly special one. Few players in the NBA enter as teenagers and if they do enter that young, they rarely manage to play 20+ years. LeBron’s an athletic freak who will likely set the new record for most consecutive seasons played next season.
In this game against the Cavaliers, LeBron has scored 12 points (5-10 FG) and two rebounds in the first half. The Lakers fell to a big deficit in the first quarter, but James’ play ensured they stayed competitive.
They hope to pick up a statement win over the best team in the NBA in the debut of new additions Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.
James is averaging 23.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 9.0 assists this season, still showing the world that he can compete at the highest level. His 20-year All-NBA streak might be in danger this season with his lowest scoring average since his rookie season, but LeBron’s contributions have kept the Lakers surprisingly competitive under new coach JJ Redick.
LeBron could’ve further enhanced his legacy by becoming the first NBA player to compete in the Playoffs as a teenager and as a 40-year-old, but James missed the Playoffs in his rookie season. By the time he reached the postseason for the first time in 2005, he was a spry 20-year-old. He hopes to compete in the Playoffs 20 years later as well, with the Lakers 18-13 this season.
Their record isn’t good enough to secure a top-six seed in the ultra-competitive West, but the team has strong momentum by their side and should be pushing up the standings after acquiring reinforcements from the Brooklyn Nets and being linked to various other stars to further enhance their roster.
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