Almost a quarter of a century into his NBA career, the dream LeBron James once harbored about becoming the greatest basketball player of all time has surely come true. The King had a legitimate claim to that pedestal a few years back, even, with the only player people would place alongside him being Michael Jordan, LeBron’s hero.
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Coming up the ranks, Jordan provided the blueprint for greatness for James to emulate. But it wouldn’t have been possible for the legend to attain without a healthy dose of confidence and humility.
LeBron was so good in high school that channels like ESPN were lining up to broadcast his games. During his time at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, he went on to win two state championships. The 18-year-old was drafted immediately after this performance by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, amid some serious media frenzy.
Needless to say, even as a teenager, LeBron knew what he wanted to achieve in the future and was willing to do just about anything to get there. His shooting coach, Kevin Eastman, admitted as much in an old documentary about the superstar on ESPN.
“Great players seem to want to know how to get better. They don’t think all the time. They are god’s gift to the game. I think he’s that way. I don’t think he thinks that. He said one time, just kind of whispered to me, ‘If this makes me better, I am going to try it,'” Eastman had revealed in the documentary that was first aired in 2003.
In the same documentary, LeBron credited Eastman for instilling in him the knowledge and the discipline to succeed.
“I know that I don’t know everything. That’s why, you know, I might be good at basketball, but I know he’s good at what he does, and that helps athletes get better. I just take everything I can, and if I put it in the plate, if it helps me, I am going to do it,” LeBron had admitted.
Well, these weren’t just mere words LeBron parroted for the camera. He meant every bit of it. James put in the hard work and improved his game to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving modern-day basketball. This commitment also meant that if James had to drop a few things along the way just to be able to cope and help his team win, he readily did it.
The four-time NBA champion has improved his 3-point and mid-range shooting over the years. James even developed a fadeway jumper along the way, which allowed him to adapt as he slowed a little. As he aged, his defensive game suffered, too. But he more than makes up for it with his improved passing game and pick-and-roll execution.
Last season, his 22nd, the Lakers star became the first NBA player to score 50,000 points in his career. And while he may not be the same player he was in his prime, James still ranks among the best in the league.
Since turning 40, James has averaged 26.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game. Most players in their 20s would give an arm and a leg for those numbers.
As he reaches the twilight of his career with uncertainty over when the curtains may fall, one can argue that none of it would have been possible without the champion mindset that he carried as an 18-year-old.
