LeBron James has stood the test of time, as he is still playing at the top of his game. He is the one true hope for the Lakers actually to make it to the playoffs this season. But unfortunately, he got injured at a crucial stage, and he will most probably be unable to play for two to three weeks. LeBron James is 38, and it is clear that age catches up with everyone, including the King.
James missed a lot of games in the previous season when in his absence, Anthony Davis carried the team throughout the season. But the Lakers could not play in the postseason. LeBron James is extremely determined to take the Lakers to the postseason this time. But this sudden foot injury can ruin everything for James and the team.
Why The Retired Players Chose The Veteran And Not The Youth?
Nonetheless, what happens due to injury LeBron James has proved to all that he ages like fine wine. Well, that is what the retired greats of the game have to say about the King. The National Basketball Retired Players Association came together with The Athletic’s David Aldridge and Josh Robbins to survey to find out the popular choice for the best player of the current generation. Not surprisingly enough, LeBron James has been voted the best player in this survey. The King got a significant percentage with 28.1%, whereas the second and third were Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Nikola got 21.2%, and Giannis got 21.0% of the votes. Both Nikola and Giannis have led their respective teams to top their individual Conferences at present. But LeBron James has not managed to help his team confirm a place in the playoffs yet. Plus, his absence will make things more difficult for the Lakers. Already the Lakers suffered a defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Lakers were having a three-match winning streak. But again, the Lakers could not hold onto it. Due to that brief streak, the Lakers climbed a place up to the 12th seed. The Lakers badly need a streak to make things right in the remaining 20 games.
What Makes LeBron James Special?
But all said and done, LeBron James has proved the worth of sheer determination and discipline. With his level of focus, it is possible to play for so long and at that level. At 38, King James is currently averaging 29.5 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 6.9 APG. Plus, he is shooting an excellent 50.1% from the floor. Needless to mention again that King James continues to enter his name into the record books.
The All-time scoring record is the most popular of all the records he holds, and it should be. The record that stayed unbroken for almost four decades belongs to the King now. But LeBron James plays to win championships with his team and not for individual accomplishments. Anyhow these achievements mean a lot to him. All these records and determination make him a worthy candidate for the GOAT, along with the great Michael Jordan.