We just can’t get enough of LeBron! The truth is, once the King is retired, we will all miss him deeply as he just keeps blowing us away either because of his ever-growing stats or because of what he’s still accomplishing at his age.
It seems if Carmelo Anthony will not sign a contract with the Lakers next season (or any other team), LeBron James will become the oldest player in the 2023-24 campaign. Anthony is currently a free agent and is 5 months older than the six-foot-nine star.
Besides Anthony, James would be the third-oldest active player in the NBA at the moment, only behind almost 39-year-old forward Andre Iguodala from Golden State, and Miami Heat’s Udonis Haslem who is 42. Nevertheless, both veterans have announced their definite retirement at the end of the current championship.
Just the other day, one of the Rockets’ contender for Rookie of the Year, Jabari Smith Jr., told LeBron on court that he had played with his father Jabari Montosho Smith 20 years ago during the Lakers star’s first season as a professional. What’s even more funny about this situation, is that the 19-year-old Rockets player wasn’t even born when that occurred.
Cameras caught the interaction when Houston played in Los Angeles last night, as LeBron answered with a hilarious: ”Why you do that to me”. You can see the whole reaction in the Twitter post below:
“You played against my Dad your first NBA game ever.”
Jabari Smith Jr. to LeBron pic.twitter.com/gDEfsrSjSQ
— pickuphoop (@pickuphoop) January 17, 2023
Although King James took it with humour, the stats the player has achieved at his age are no laughing matter. The current power foward scored 48 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists as they beat Houston 140 to 132 in an intense match at the Crypto.com Arena. He became the sixth player with one hundred 40+ point-games to his tally.
But his records don’t stop there, the Los Angeles star is now the first player in NBA history with 20 seasons of at least 1,000 points. Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired with a total of 19 seasons in his 20-year career.
It seems that a record almost impossible to pull off would be the oldest player to contest in NBA’s history. That reputation belongs to Nat Hickey, who played two games before his 46th birthday (his record is 45 years, 363 days). This means James would have to play until 2030 just to become the all-time most senior NBA player.
Like father, like son
James has mentioned many times his desire to play either with, or against, his son Bronny James. Although his eldest son is still a Sierra Canyon High School senior, he should be eligible for the NBA Draft in 2024. This means it would be the King’s 22nd season at 40 years of age.
Six-foot-three Bronny just turned 18 this past October, and is already proving himself to be a great player. Even though we still are yet to see him play in a great stage, we can’t help but dream of a potential father and son display in the NBA. You can see one of his latest crazy dunks in the following YouTube link:
LeBron James just might be able stay strong for two more seasons, as he recently entered the 38,000 total point elite, only behind the mythical Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the race after the all-time scoring record.
The Lakers are having a much improved second part of the regular season, although they are standing in 13th place (20-24) of a hard-fought contested Western Conference. Some of our recommended NBA betting sites, believe the Lakers own the 12th-best odds to win this campaign.
