The Los Angeles Lakers are arguably the most storied franchise in all of basketball. And ever since the new millennium tipped off, the franchise has boasted of having either Kobe Bryant or LeBron James on their roster for all but two years. Clearly, the stars love to be around Hollywood town.
Advertisement
There have been various parallels drawn between these two generational talents who have repped the Lakers. Kobe and LeBron both burst into the scene as hyper-athletic teenagers and have drawn plaudits for their longevity. The two are arguably the most recognizable basketball players of their generation and have quite the trophy cabinet to show for it too.
Another scary parallel was on the cards when LeBron was in his age-34 season with the Lakers. Kobe Bryant had suffered an Achilles Tendon injury and saw the beginning of his decline at the same stage of his career. This prompted quite the discourse and spelled concern for the LA-based franchise.
When asked about this eerie parallel by Rachel Nichols, Bryant opined how the rest of James’ career fares shall depend on his adaptability.
How did Kobe ask James to adapt after an injury-plagued season with the Lakers?
Words of advice from a Laker legend to another have been a common occurrence through the years. Here, Kobe Bryant invoked memories of another Laker legend to inspire the rest of James’ career.
LeBron has often been referred to as the modern version of Magic Johnson in NBA circles. Their creativity, court vision, and size at their position have been major factors in forming such comparisons. Here, The Black Mamba advised The King to adapt some traits of Magic’s game that LeBron hadn’t quite tapped into.
Kobe prompts LeBron to evolve his game to meet his body’s capabilities with his advancing age. When asked about James’ timeline in the league by Nichols, Kobe stated that : “It just depends on how he adapts his game. Because at some point you have to evolve. So, the speed and power that he’s used to playing with has to change. Which he can, because now he has a god-given size to be able to adapt. Go to below the free-throw line. It’s more a power game. You know, Magic did a lot of that, right. Went down to the post a lot, attracted double teams down to him, made plays from there. And he’s more than capable of doing that and playing for a long, long time.”
Since his age-34 season, LeBron really hasn’t shown many signs of wear and tear though. The King has racked up the numbers and All-Star appearances even after 2018-19. James, however, hasn’t really achieved this by going along to Kobe’s words. In a three-point dictated game, and in a team with Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, a LeBron evolution towards the paint would not have served the Lakers well.
Evolution was inevitable. But, it wasn’t as Kobe suggested, though. It certainly hasn’t been smooth though. Injuries have bothered LeBron at a greater rate than they did in the past. Are there any adjustments left for The King to try, as he aims to play in league with his son, Bronny James?
When is Bronny James draft eligible and can LeBron draw his career out till then?
Bronny James, LeBron’s eldest son, has started his Senior Year with Sierra Canyon and projects to be an NBA-worthy prospect. With LeBron James being quite vocal about his ambition to play with Bronny, his draft eligibility has been quite a topic of discussion.
Bronny becomes draft eligible in 2024. While James will still be contracted with the Lakers at that point in time, one cannot rule out a move that would permit a union between father and son. LeBron James Jr., while not as decorated a prospect as his superstar father, still has received multiple recruitment offers.
The No.34 prospect from his recruitment class, Bronny stands to benefit from a strong senior season. With his next step undecided, the intrigue around LeBron James Jr.’s future has peaked. The entire NBA community awaits the father-son union, which would serve as a trophy for King James’ incredible longevity, too.
