LeBron James has cemented his place as one of the greatest players in NBA history. Just 10 days shy of his 40th birthday, he continues to perform at an elite level, adding to his legacy with countless records. In a game against the Sacramento Kings on December 19, 2024, LeBron achieved another historic milestone, becoming the NBA’s all-time leader in minutes played with 57,447.
LeBron surpassed six-time NBA MVP winner Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and declared this: “It’s just a commitment to the craft and to the passion and love I have for the game… I don’t take much time in the offseason. A little bit more time now,” stated LeBron. What is clear to us about LeBron is that only someone with such passion for the sport could play at 40 years old at this level. His performance continues to be exceptional, averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 9 assists throughout the season.
Staying relevant for 21 years while playing at the highest level requires an immense physical commitment to developing the ability to perform at such a high level. In addition, James has developed a remarkable capacity for recovery, allowing him to stay at 100% physically even during his off time. “I didn’t take much time in the offseason, no matter if I was making the 10 Finals appearances back to back and just always trying to keep my body in tip-top shape,” affirmed LeBron James.
LeBron also mentioned what their teammates told him after breaking this awesome record: “They told me I’m old as h—.” He also commented on his situation giving an analysis about it: “It’s a pretty cool honor, obviously, anytime I’m linked up with some of the greats to ever play this game. To know that I’ve been available to my teammates, to be able to do this at a high level for two decades, and continue to put myself in record books in this game of basketball that I love so much and the best league in the world it’s cool and it’s very humbling.”
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Miami Heat during the first half at Kaseya Center on December 04, 2024 in Miami, Florida.
Right now, he needs to take some rest and skip certain games as his recovery from each match takes longer. The difficult thing for the Los Angeles Lakers is that they do not have another player who can provide the offensive output James delivers, making him irreplaceable even at 39 years old.
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Are the Lakers maximizing LeBron’s brilliance on court?
Despite LeBron’s remarkable performance at 39 years old, the Los Angeles Lakers’ season is falling short of expectations. Currently sitting 12th in the league, 7th in the Western Conference, and 2nd in their division, the team has struggled to make a significant impact. They are not yet eliminated, but they lack a standout identity, neither excelling offensively nor defensively.
When asked by Dave McMenamin about how to manage LeBron’s workload, head coach JJ Redick stated: “Not necessarily less minutes, but shorter runs so that he’s not getting gassed and then quicker segments on the bench, and then he’s back in.” This suggests Lakers’ are not maximizing LeBron’s performance as they need him to make fewer runs, but if he doesn’t make them the team won’t perform the same. However, this approach poses a challenge, as the team heavily relies on James to maintain their performance. LeBron remains the Lakers’ top scorer and primary playmaker, a burden that ideally should be shared among his teammates.
To address this, trade rumors have started to circulate, hinting at potential moves to bolster the roster and maximize LeBron’s impact as they aim for a playoff push.
