Lakers superstar LeBron James is the 9th player in NBA history to play his 20th season. Unlike the others, the King refuses to slow down.
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There are no two ways about the fact that LeBron James is a generational athlete. The 6″9′ forward is a flawless combination of strength, speed, and agility. His durability could put the rookies coming-in to shame. A freak of nature, LBJ continues to be on the quest for his 5th ring, entering his 20th season.
The freight train is on the verge of surpassing Kareem-Abdul Jabbar as the all-time leading scorer in the NBA. While James continues to reach milestones individually, the last two seasons haven’t been good for his team, the LA Lakers. However, GM Rob Pelinka and co are currently in the midst of a Kyrie Irving trade, which could solve most of the problems for the purple and gold.
James will complete two decades this season, joining an elite club of 9 members, boasting the likes of Kobe Bryant, Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kevin Garnett, to name a few. Nonetheless, the former Cavs superstar looks like he still has a couple of more years in the tank.
Currently, Vince Carter holds the record for playing the most seasons, which is 22, while the most no. of games belongs to Robert Parish. James seems to be on the verge of etching both these records.
LeBron James joins the 20-seasons club.
Coming off his 19th season, James averaged 30.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 6.2 APG, shooting an efficient 52.4% from the field. The four-time Finals MVP ended the year as a top 3 scorer. The Lakers superstar continues to do most of the heavy lifting in a team boasting multiple-time All-Star such as Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.
The upcoming season has James accomplish yet another feat, becoming the 9th player to play his 20th season.
| Name | Seasons | Games |
| Vince Carter | 22 | 1541 |
| Robert Parish | 21 | 1611 |
| Dirk Nowitzki | 21 | 1522 |
| Kevin Garnett | 21 | 1462 |
| Kevin Williams | 21 | 1424 |
| Kareem-Abdul Jabbar | 20 | 1560 |
| Kobe Bryant | 20 | 1346 |
| Jamal Crawford | 20 | 1327 |
| LeBron James | 19 | 1366 |
| Carmelo Anthony | 19 | 1260 |
| Udonis Haslem | 19 | 872 |
As the above table suggests, James isn’t the only active player entering his 20th season, with both Carmelo Anthony and Udonis Haslem completing two decades also. The game will miss the King when he decides to hang his boots, having contributed so much to the game of basketball.
Also read: “I got a beer thrown on me leaving the game”: LeBron James on Celtics fans being racist
