LeBron James on his longevity

Ryan Ward, a reporter and writer for Lakers Nation, tweeted about a question he posed to LeBron James. LeBron James is currently in his 19th season in the NBA, contending for a title with the Los Angeles Lakers. The question was whether James had thought about the end of his career. It is a well-known fact around the league that LeBron James spends big money on keeping himself up to speed physically, with an ever-changing game, approximately $1.5 million per year.

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At age 37, LeBron James is averaging 27.6 points, 7 rebounds and 6.7 assists; which is by no means an easy task. He is the oldest player on the Lakers' roster and leads the team in scoring, which puts things into perspective. James responded to Ryan Ward’s question by saying:

“I’ve thought about it, where I’m at and still playing at such a high level. I haven’t given it too much thought, but I’m in year 19 and like I said I’m not gonna do another 19, so I’m definitely not halfway in my career.”

The reason LeBron James continues to dominate at this age is due in large part to the routine he follows. The $1.5 million per year goes towards keeping himself fit through a strict workout routine and diet. James has hired personal trainers and even chefs to reach optimum levels of nutrition and physical performance.

James went on to add that as long as his mind and body are in sync then he is good to keep going.

“I’m on the other side of the hill, so we’ll see where the game takes me, we’ll see what my body takes me. And my mind, as long as my mind stays fresh and my body, you know stays with that – I can play the game.”

As fans, we do not know what LeBron James' ceiling will be, nor how many years he has left in the tank. James gave insight into when he will know when it is time to call it quits on his career, stating:

“I think the game will tell you, your body will tell your mind to tell you. And you know I’ve put in enough hours and punched enough clocks, where when that time come I’ll be okay with it.”

LeBron James’ quest for a fifth ring

LeBron James won his fourth NBA Championship with the Lakers in the 2019-20 season. In the 2020 bubble playoffs, LeBron James was a dominant force, averaging 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.8 assists in 21 games.

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His performance in the 2020 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat was top-notch as he scored at least 25 points in each game of the series. LeBron James was named the Finals MVP with a stat line of 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.2 steals over six games. The Lakers won the series 4-2, to be named 2020 NBA Champions.

After a disappointing 2020-21 season, losing to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers made some moves in the off-season. In a bid to strengthen the roster, Russell Westbrook was brought in by the Lakers, who gave away a cohort of young talent and role players.

However, the roster built around the “Big-Three” of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook is yet to make its expected impact. The Lakers are currently 7th in the Western Conference with a lot of concern around the league; about their chances of being a contender.

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LeBron James is putting up MVP level numbers on a nightly basis, scoring 30 points or more in 13 of his 13 played games. The Lakers have suffered some injuries and are missing quite a few players to the league’s health and safety protocols. LeBron James will have to keep up his performances, while the team as a whole needs to start closing out games in a better fashion to be title contenders.