"Small piece of me left when he retired" - LeBron James shares the impact Tom Brady has had on his career

At age 37, LeBron James can empathize with Tom Brady on what it's like to play at an old age. Brady has officially retired from the NFL after having arguably the most spectacular season of his career at 44-years-old.

James and Brady are two of their generation's defining athletes and served as an inspiration to one another. After the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New York Knicks Saturday, James was asked by the media for his reaction to Brady's retirement.

James had a heartfelt response, admitting he admired Tom Brady for playing arguably better football in his 40's than he did in his 20's. More importantly, James admired Brady's leadership ability and how players gravitated towards him in the late stages of his career. The four-time NBA MVP said,

“When he came out with his announcement I was like, you know, as a guy who’s kind of just been kind of my motivation factor over the last few years. Seeing what he’s able to do at his age and always kind of being a leader of a team. And even at his age, people still gravitate towards him and gravitate. You know his energy and how he prepares and things of that nature. So a small piece of me was definitely left when Brady decided to retire. That’s for sure.”

The fact that James admitted a small piece of himself was left behind after Brady's retirement shows how much he looked up to Brady.

With Tom Brady retired, it's now up to James and Aaron Rodgers to carry the torches to play at an elite level at an advancing age in their respective leagues.

Could Tom Brady influence LeBron James to play longer?

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With Tom Brady being a prominent influence in James' life, it's reasonable to ask whether James will play into his 40's as Brady did. The Lakers small forward is seven years younger than Brady.

However, he's played 1,248 more games than Brady, as the NBA has a rigorous 82-game regular season.

The four-time NBA champion is still going strong in his 19th season, averaging 29.1 points per game, albeit in just 37 games.

James has been outspoken about wanting to play in the NBA with his son, Bronny James Jr. He won't be eligible to be drafted in the NBA until 2024, meaning James will have to play at least two more seasons before getting the chance to play with his son for a year.

If anyone can replicate Brady's success as an elder statesman, it's James. Tom Brady has set the bar incredibly high to be surpassed, however.

His 5,316 passing yards from 2021 are his career-high, and he played at an MVP-caliber for 17 straight games.