“20 Years? No Way Without Mike Mancias”: LeBron James Credits Athletic Trainer For Longevity

10 players have played more than 20 seasons across NBA history. However, no one has managed to dominate the league in the dying years of their career the way LeBron James has been doing so.

In the midst of Year 20, it almost seems surreal what the NBA’s all-time leading scorer has managed to achieve. At age 38, the King has managed to defeat the infamous father time and is still one of the most physically fit stars in the league.

Apart from spending millions every year on his body, James credits his longtime athletic trainer, Mike Mancias, for the same.

After recording 16 points in the latest Los Angeles Lakers win, the 6-foot-9 power forward lauded Mancias:

“There’s no way I’d be playing 20 seasons without him. It’s literally that simple. There’s no way I’d be able to still be playing at this level without him. I mean, he’s that essential to my game, to my performance, to everything that I do. To my mental. So, there’s no way. I mean, I could have got 7-to-12 years of this. But 20? There’s no way without him.”

LeBron James showed love to his longtime athletic trainer Mike Mancias as he approaches the finish to two decades in the NBA so far: “There’s no way I’d be playing 20 seasons without him. It’s literally that simple. There’s no way I’d be able to still be playing at this level…

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 8, 2023

When did Mancias become LeBron’s trainer?

Back in 2003, when Bron set foot in the NBA, it was then when he came across Mancias. Similar to LBJ, it was Mike’s first year in the association, who was a member of the fitness staff for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Having revealed in several instances, the duo shared the same work ethic and were extremely passionate about what they did. Goes without saying, both of them gelled instantly.

Over the next two decades, Mancias focused on five different major aspects of James’ fitness: strength, sports medicine & athletic training, nutrition, and recovery & mental preparation.

Due to the 4-time MVP’s successful career, Mike has become one of the more famous names in the fitness industry.

What is LeBron James averaging in Year 20?

The Lakers are currently in a tough race to clinch a playoff seat. However, the 4-time champion is having yet another sensational season.

Having played 54 games in the 2022-2023 campaign, the 19-time NBA All-Star is averaging a staggering 28.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game.

The Purple & Gold will be playing their final regular season game against the Utah Jazz on 9th April. With the Lakers having a slim chance of securing the 6th seed in the West, the 4-time NBA Finals MVP will have to step up big time in the play-in tournament.