LeBron James is one of the best athletes of all time in the world, if not the greatest. The King of the NBA has had freakish athleticism at 6ft 9”, with 250–60 pounds of sheer muscle throughout his career.
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20-years into his career, the 38-year-old has still somehow maintained a level like none other before him. Yet, there are some things that he cannot do now like in the good old days in Cleveland and Miami.
Jumping in the air first and then deciding what he would do with the basketball was one of those things.
LeBron James goes back in time and talks about how his younger self did things
As James is out of the Lakers’ Monday night game against the Portland Trail Blazers, he took time before the game to talk to the media about how he never needed to think much before playing when he was young.
“I didn’t need to be as dialed in on the game, I could just figure things out once I jumped in the air. I knew if I take off I’m gonna be up there a lot longer than you,” said LeBron.
If he was as spontaneous as he says, it’s truly wonderful and surprising how long he played the game with the least number of injuries.
His injury record compared to other star players of the league in history is so terrific, looking at it, you’d never say that he decided what to do next after jumping in the air. Maybe Dwyane Wade, but not him.
LeBron’s unique 20-year career
There are a few more players in the league who played the game as long as James, but no one did it like him. The 19x All-Star had just one season in his career where he played less than 55 games in the season.
There have been only 4 seasons (in 19) where he missed out on the Playoffs spot and only one where he lost it in the first round. Count 10 NBA Finals. Now, imagine the toll his body must have taken in all these years.
Like him or not, you cannot deny his man is truly otherworldly.