Playing the 22nd season of his career in 2024-25, LeBron James has redefined longevity in the NBA. However, when the Lakers superstar is asked to talk about the same, he feels “ancient.” During a conversation with the media, LeBron revealed if there is a secret behind his longevity in the league and how he has managed to stay on top for so long.
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The 39-year-old gave a very detailed answer to the question. He stated that basics such as being committed to and in love with the game of basketball motivate him to still get up every morning and go to work.
He said, “It’s just a commitment to the craft and…the passion and love I have for the game.” LeBron said that he never took too much time off during the offseason. Even during his 10 trips to the NBA Finals, the King kept up with his routine and didn’t go for a long hiatus. That has changed now that he is older and needs more time to recover.
One of the most common beliefs about LeBron’s longevity is that he never got injured. While it’s true when we look for serious injuries only, the superstar stated that he has had his fair share of injuries. He said, “We all have our injuries in this league, in this sport, but to be available for the majority, to my teammates, to my franchises…that’s something I took very seriously.”
LeBron also detailed how the game of longevity is more of a mental battle. He said that being a part of one marathon season after the other starts taking a toll when a player sees his family change and/or grow older. LeBron added that the regret of missing out on key family moments becomes the toughest challenge in the process.
LBJ is about to break another record
The Los Angeles Lakers are slated to play against the Sacramento Kings tonight at Golden 1 Center. When LeBron plays his 10th minute of the game, he will surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the record of most minutes played in the regular season. Currently, LBJ has played 57,437 regular season minutes, only nine shy of the record holder’s 57,446 minutes.
LeBron isn’t the only player in the league’s history who boasts such remarkable longevity. However, there’s a stark difference between the careers of others and that of LBJ. While he is tied with Vince Carter for most seasons played in the NBA (22), LeBron’s average minutes per game trumps Carter’s.
Carter averaged 30.1 minutes per game to LeBron’s 37.9. The only time the Lakers superstar averaged less than 35 minutes a season was during the 2020-21 season where he averaged 33.4 MPG. Carter, on the other hand, started playing less than 30 minutes per game from his 13th season.
Another major difference between every other athlete with a long career and LeBron James is that LBJ has never played second fiddle to anyone. Even at the age of 39, he has the responsibility of carrying his team throughout the season.
