In today’s sports landscape, the rise of young athletes to elite status is happening at an unprecedented pace. In the NBA, Anthony Edwards ascended to the league’s upper echelons at just 19 years old, and now, at 23, he ranks among the top players. Similarly, Luka Doncic made headlines when he debuted in the ACB League with Real Madrid at the tender age of 16. However, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has voiced concerns about the current management of youth sports.
“Me and my guys, we ran track and field as well when we were like super young. We played football all the way through high school. We didn’t just cap it through one thing all year round. And I think a lot of kids burn—they burn out…At 22, 23, 24 they say, ‘f*** the hell with it, I’m done, I don’t even want to play no more.’ So I don’t think we should be putting a cap on those kids. They should be able to just explore, man,” Lakers star LeBron James affirmed, via Mind the Game podcast.
While there are stories of success, many young athletes quit by 19 or 20, feeling they are already ‘finished’ and no longer capable, especially due to constant comparisons. Years ago, entering the NBA at 21-23 was perfectly normal. Today, it is seen as a late debut in the professional sport. This evolution creates substantial pressure, leading young players to hire private coaches for each sport to enhance their skills.
Though this behavior is now common, LeBron offered a surprising take. “I didn’t have a ‘basketball trainer’ until my second, third, maybe fourth year in the NBA…My basketball training was just being on the court. Let’s just go hoop. Five on five, two on two, three on three,” he confessed, via Mind The Game podcast.
In today’s NBA, the new generation of players spends significantly less time playing on the streets. LeBron James notes how players miss out on valuable lessons learned through informal play. Many fans also express concern over the growing ‘robotization’ of athletes. They argue that, despite technical training, players lack creativity. This spontaneous creativity, often developed through street play, contributed to the ‘magic’ of past basketball legends.
In the ever-evolving NBA landscape, rising stars like Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jayson Tatum make their mark. They showcase remarkable skills and compete fiercely against seasoned veterans such as Nikola Jokic, Stephen Curry, and LeBron James.
Meanwhile, the modernization of the league calls for more creative freedom and reduced pressure. Yet, these generational talents consistently prove that the future of basketball remains bright.