LeBron James recently turned 40 and is currently in his 22nd season in the NBA, tied with Vince Carter for the most seasons played. At this point, many had expected James to retire, but the Los Angeles Lakers star continues to play at a high level, revealing what drives him to keep going.
While there were whispers about James’ future in the league and concerns that his level of play had declined, LeBron has silenced critics with some impressive performances on the court. After a big win against the Atlanta Hawks, James opened up about his primary motivation to continue playing.
“My motivation is just, I don’t even know at this point. I just love the game,” LeBron said, per LakersNation. “I got an opportunity this summer to be in France and to represent Team USA, and that was an amazing opportunity for me and my family being in Paris and bringing home gold. And then just coming back here, I just love the game”.
But it’s not just the love of basketball that keeps LeBron on the court. The future of his son, Bronny James, has also become a great source of inspiration, making LeBron continue to give his all in every game.
LeBron James #23 and Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers prior to playing the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
“Obviously my son over there has given me some more inspiration, some more reason to go out there and kind of just show him what it takes to be a professional, what it takes day in and day out to try to master and be great,” LeBron added. “I still have a little bit left in the tank. So I guess I’ll go until it’s kind of empty, I guess”.
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LeBron responds to outside criticism
Having spent so many years in the NBA and as the league’s oldest active player, LeBron has learned how to handle outside criticism, a part of the game he no longer lets affect him.
“I guess it’s just growth from my age and understanding what matters and what doesn’t matter,” LeBron said after the Lakers’ win. “Outside noise has never deterred me from my goal and my personal journey, my personal legend. So you just know that the only way you can get to where you want to get to is work”.
“There’s gonna be conversations about what I should do, how I should do it, how many years I’ve played, why I got this and why I got that,” he continued. “But nobody can ever say that I cheated the game and I didn’t work for everything I got. I put the work in and nothing else matters after that”.
LeBron surpasses Michael Jordan’s record
In addition to his inspiring words, James made history once again in the Lakers’ victory over the Atlanta Hawks. He scored 30 points for the 563rd time in his NBA career, breaking a long-standing record set by Michael Jordan in 2003.
For James, this achievement carries significant weight, especially given his admiration for MJ. “It’s very humbling,” LeBron said. “Anytime I’m mentioned with any of the greats, and arguably the greatest ever to play the game, it’s super-cool. It’s someone I idolized in my childhood, and I wear 23 because of him. So to know that I can sit here and be in the room or in the conversation or whatever it is, you mention MJ, it’s like super-duper dope for me, being a kid where I’m from”.
