The Lakers forward, the oldest player in the NBA, is the player with the most points, rebounds and assists at 38 years old.

LeBron James ở mùa giải thứ 21 so với LeBron ở mùa giải tân binh./

LeBron James in his 21st season versus LeBron in his rookie year.

The schedule hasn’t made sense for LeBron James for a while now. When the vast majority of athletes choose to enjoy a well-deserved rest at the age of 38, the forward from Akron is in no hurry to end one of the most successful careers in the world of sports. A trajectory that has led him to discuss the figure of Michael Jordan as the best player of all time and that does not seem to have an end in the short term.

The Lakers forward is far from lowering his performance curve in his 21st season in the NBA and continues to be the reference for the Lakers, a team that reached the Western Finals last year and that aspires to everything this campaign. And although the road to the ring has not begun as expected in the Los Angeles franchise, its impact is beyond any doubt.

‘King’ James was the youngest player in his first season in the league and today he is the oldest player in the league after the retirement of Andre Iguodala. However, his age has not diminished his performance on both sides of the court. And there are his numbers to certify that the praise for the four-time NBA MVP is justified.

It is true that this season he is having the second worst scoring season of his career (24.4 points per game), only behind his rookie year (20.9). However, his numbers do not differ excessively from his career scoring average (27.2 points) in his more than 1,420 games in the NBA. In addition, he is choosing his shots better with the best percentage of his sporting life (56% on field goals).

Evolution of the total points, assists and rebounds year by year of LeBron James compared to the rest of the 75 best players according to the NBA.

Data updated as of 11/07/2023.

Yes, his numbers have dropped when it comes to moving the ball (5.4 assists, the lowest number of his career), but he is superior in rebounding (8.1 catches for the 7.5 accumulated in his 21 seasons) and very similar in steals and blocks. That is to say, he continues to be decisive on both sides of the court and his numbers, as the graph shows, speak of the most consistent player if we take into account the average curve of points, rebounds and assists in all years of his career, compared to the 75 best players in history according to the NBA.

Evolution of the PER year by year of LeBron James compared to the rest of the 75 best players according to the NBA.

Another piece of data that shows James’ longevity in the ‘prime’ is PER (Player Efficiency Rating), a statistic that measures a player’s performance and his productivity. A category in which LeBron is still the king of the NBA compared to other players in the twilight of his career. Only Curry can stand up to the player from Ohio, but he still has four years left to reach James’ 38 years.

With all those numbers, LeBron continues to accumulate records like the one he achieved against the Clippers on November 2, when he scored his 81st game with over 30 points once he turned 35. More than anyone in NBA history. And it’s just a sample of all the records he already has in his bag: top scorer in history, fourth best passer and tenth best thief of all time.

Numbers, records, records… all to continue increasing the legend of a player who this season can become the first star to reach 40,000 points scored in his entire career. He needs 1,153. A figure that could be crazy for any other player, but in LeBron’s case it doesn’t sound crazy, considering that he has only dropped below 1,200 points once and it was during the pandemic. A player who has scored at least 10 goals in more than 1,160 games in an unparalleled streak in a league that continues to dominate like no one else.

Relationship between games played and points obtained by LeBron James compared to the rest of the players with a minimum of 750 games played.

Data updated as of 11/07/2023.

More than a million dollars of investment in taking care of your body

How is it possible for a 38-year-old player to have this performance at this point in his career? The answer is simple, although it is not logical. LeBron is not a 38-year-old player with 21 seasons under his belt. Or at least he doesn’t seem like it when it comes to physical performance. The eaves have turned his body into a temple. And on this occasion the hackneyed expression makes more sense than ever.

For James, physical work is a fundamental part of his life. And that’s why he spares no expense to take care of every centimeter of his body, every gram of his weight and every second of his rest. In fact, the Lakers player invests 1.5 million dollars every year in taking care of and maintaining his physique. This was revealed by Maverick Carter, LeBron’s close friend and partner in several of his businesses.

LEBron James. AFP

Lebron James. AFP

An expense that the forward continues to make profitable and that ranges from the installation of hyperbaric chambers, cryotherapy, special compression footwear for recovery and personalized treatments with liquid nitrogen, among other methods, for an optimal set-up. In addition, he has hired several chefs who take great care of every aspect of his nutrition and has conducted sleep studies to maximize his rest. He even hired a former Navy Seal to help with his physical preparation.

And the withdrawal for when?

Now comes the big question that doesn’t seem to have an easy answer. How long will LeBron’s rope last? “I think that’s a question that LeBron himself should answer, but I can definitely tell you that we are already working on next season and even on material for after that. I don’t think LeBron has plans to go away.” another side soon,” Jason Petrie, designer of the LeBron XX, responded to a question from Relevo last season.

“I don’t think LeBron has any plans to go anywhere else anytime soon.”

In recent years all voices pointed to an end to his career coinciding with his eldest son, Bronnie, on the court. A rumor that LeBron himself has confirmed on several occasions. However, the forward still wants to extend his career a little longer. At least that’s what his own wife has hinted at in one of the forward’s latest spots. “Tell them you’re not finished until you play with your son, Bronnie. And then do it again with Bryce,” says Savannah James about the possibility of seeing King James on the court with her middle son, who is now 16 years old. That is, LeBron would have to continue until he was 41. Impossible? A word that makes no sense to the Akron player.