The Los Angeles Lakers are on a roll, having won their seventh consecutive game by beating the Houston Rockets 124-116 on Wednesday, and the star of the show was LeBron James, who at 41, continues to dazzle the league. JJ Redick watched from the sidelines in awe, and then looked at himself, wondering where time flied.
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Redick was self-reflecting because of how good James was. He scored 30 points in 34 minutes, jumped athletically at every rebound, went for contested shots, and wasn’t afraid to attack the rim.
James is the same age as Redick, who’s now a head coach calling plays from the touchline, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t get a teensy bit jealous watching the King so strong, fast, and fit, while he remains out of shape.
“Watching him is actually, probably makes me feel like a loser,” Redick admitted post-game. “Every time he falls on the ground, every time he has a box out, every time he gets hit hard and transitions… I feel it too.”
Redick was a seasoned NBA player himself, having spent 15 years in the league before retiring in 2021. He’s since become a Lakers coach (took over the job in 2024) and has proven to have a smart basketball mind. But he’s not in the shape an NBA player is at right now, which is fine. No one is. It’s just a nod to James’ longevity, as his body is showing no signs of wanting to call it quits.
“I’m just so out of shape right now, it’s remarkable. This is what I was talking about with him. It’s just the preparation that he puts in to his body over and over and over again, and to me, that’s the ultimate sign of competitive stamina. He just holds on to it every single day, and he gets ready to ring the bell,” Redick added.
James has been the face of the league for over two decades now, and heading into the 2025-26 season, there were strong rumors that he was considering retirement. That may still be true, and he may just drop a bombshell on the community any day now.
For the sake of the sport, we hope not. But if James and the Lakers end up winning the chip in 2026, that may well and truly provide a storybook ending to arguably one of the greatest careers ever.
