“I want to have the longevity LeBron James has had”: Paul George sets his aims on emulating the Lakers superstar’s insane durability

Paul George says that he wants to play in the NBA at a high level for a long time, just like Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. 

Every once in a while, the NBA witnesses the emergence of a player who sticks around for an unprecedented period of time. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won rings in the early 70s and late 80s, while Tim Duncan who snagged a ring with both David Robinson and Kawhi Leonard. 

LeBron James is yet another athlete in the NBA that has surpassed all expectations when it comes to the timespan of one’s prime. It usually believed a player enters his prime around the age of 27.

It is usually around this age that the athlete has the perfect mix of experience and youth. The ‘prime’ of an athlete generally lasts for 4-6 years. 

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However, LeBron James has essentially thrown this logic out the window as he been arguably the best player in the world for over 15 years now. Clippers star Paul George seems to be quite inspired by this as he looks to emulate James’s seemingly everlasting success. 

Paul George wants to focus on taking care of his body, just like LeBron James does

In a recent interview, Paul George opened up about wanting to replicate what the ‘King’ has done when it comes to preserving and taking care of his body to help stay healthy for years to come. 

“I didn’t believe in being sore. I thought I was just going to be elite forever. But then you look at guys that have longevity like LeBron and the amount of work he puts into his body and the recovery that he does-I was at a crossroads.”

“As I got older, I started to see more wear and tear. So that means these days I’m spending time with my Theragun. My recovery pump. I’m getting in the cold tub, all of that.”

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Paul George has seen firsthand what proper maintenance of the body could bring about as he’s dealt with his fair share of injuries. Kudos to the Clippers star however as many of the setbacks he has sustained over the course of his career could’ve been career ending.