In years past, size and strength would have carried more weight, if you’ll forgive the pun. It’s not that today’s players can’t benefit by being big and strong but basketball has changed so much that even they are far from your prototypical big men. Dribbling, spacing and playmaking are all prerequisites for guys like that today, whereas the bigs of yesteryear could mostly just plant themselves in the paint and go to work.
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LeBron James is someone who, more than anyone, has experienced many different eras of NBA basketball. As a result, the kid from Akron has had to evolve his game to keep with the times as he’s become the man in Miami and the grizzled vet in L.A.
LeBron was joined by Tyrese Haliburton, filling in for his usual cohost Steve Nash, on the most recent episode of Mind the Game. Like LeBron, Hali is a cerebral player, someone capable of manipulating everyone on the court with his actions. Getting these two great basketball minds together was a treat, especially in light of Hali being out for the year with the Achilles tear he suffered in last year’s Finals Game 7.
It remains to be seen what the Pacers’ All-Star point guard will look like when he returns next season, but he’s already thinking about how he can adjust his game as age, and wear and tear, take their toll. Why not ask the best source available for the secret to his success? That’s exactly what he did when he asked LeBron how he’s adjusted his play style as he’s gotten older.
“I think for me, it’s just about having growth mindset,” LeBron said. “Understanding the game of basketball evolves, and the game of basketball changes, and you have to be able to see the table turn, and you have to be able to evolve with it if you want to continue to stay abreast of what’s going on with the game.”
LeBron went through his career and the way the game has changed, from the ‘two big guys in the post’ style when he first broke into the league, to the way teams began to go with a small ball lineup once he got to Miami. That change brought about a faster pace and less of a reliance on halfcourt basketball, and as we know, LeBron adjusted well, winning two titles with the Heat.
LeBron shared that he has continued to ask himself the same question throughout his career: “How can I still be effective?” As he’s gotten older, he’s answered that by playing more off the ball, cutting to the basket, and continuing to improve as an outside shooter. He’s also worked more on his low-post game and punishing mismatches out of the pick-and-roll.
Though he may not be able to jump out the gym the way he used to, LeBron is still an unbelievable physical specimen, especially considering he’s 41 years old. He can still throw it down when he wants to, and incredibly, he’s second in the NBA behind Tyrese Maxey in fast break points per game.
Who knows how much longer LeBron will still be doing this, but as long as he’s still playing, he’ll continue to evolve his game. As he said to Hali, “The game in 2029 could look different than right now, so you have to have that type of growth mindset.” Will LeBron still be playing three years from now? It sounds crazy, but he’s proven over the past two decades and change that it’s foolish to bet against him.
