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Despite the countdown to his 40th birthday on Monday, LeBron James maintained his sense of humor. The Los Angeles Lakers forward hasn’t publicly expressed any apprehension, sorrow, or worry that the milestone may have caused.
James is unable to conceal his age, much like Michael Jordan, whose 40th birthday was commemorated on the cover of “Sports Illustrated” in 2003. His most notable recent achievements, including reaching 40,000 points in March, becoming the NBA’s first father-son team to play together in October, and surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the league’s all-time leading scorer in February 2023, have, in fact, fueled a continuing discussion about his longevity. James will turn 40 and play at least one game in the regular season or playoffs, making him the 32nd player in NBA history to do it.
In addition to starring in Nike’s “Father Time” ad campaign and costarring with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant in a “OGs” conversation to host ABC’s Christmas show, the four-time MVP has capitalized on his gray beard status as the league’s oldest active player. He joked that teammates referred to him as “old as hell” after he achieved the NBA record for minutes played this month. He then posed for a picture holding a piece of paper that said “1 billion mins,” a playful inflation of his career total of more than 57,000. Because of his obsession with the computer game “Madden NFL 25,” James has indulged in escapism, possibly in an attempt to find some balance.
James has redefined what is possible at 40 by fending off the age-related decline curve that every basketball star experiences. Nevertheless, he now has to face an existential dilemma: What more needs to be done?
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The four-oh
Playing at 40 was impossible for the majority of the NBA’s original hallmark stars, including as George Mikan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Jerry West. Before Jordan, John Stockton, and Karl Malone, the greatest of the 1990s, surpassed the standard, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird both saw their careers end early. Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki just barely crossed the finish line before retiring, while Hakeem Olajuwon, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal also came close over the last 25 years.
Abdul-Jabbar, who retired at 42 after winning his sixth title at 41, was once the NBA’s gold standard for longevity. James, meanwhile, has already eclipsed Abdul-Jabbar’s records for points, minutes, and all-star choices because he entered the NBA directly out of high school.
“LeBron takes his physical health very seriously,” Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers stated this month. “They don’t last because most people wouldn’t do what LeBron does off the court. LeBron lasts because he has made the decision to accomplish everything. It’s incredible to observe.
Compared to Abdul-Jabbar or any other great at the same age, James is playing a very different role this season. James is still in the top 25 NBA scorers with an average of 23.5 points, despite Anthony Davis overtaking him as the Lakers’ top scorer. In contrast, Abdul-Jabbar averaged 14.6 points per game in 1987–88, ranking fourth among the Lakers’ options after Johnson, James Worthy, and Byron Scott.
For older gamers, a role reduction is a normal progression: No 40-year-old has ever finished a season with an average of 15 points, and none has come close to matching James’s 29.9 percent usage rate this year. When it comes to responsibility and burden at his age, James is alone, unlike Abdul-Jabbar and Stockton, who were both productive at 40.
Big men like Abdul-Jabbar, Dikembe Mutombo, Robert Parish, and Kevin Willis are among the NBA’s 40+ club members. In the past, height and size were important factors for prolonging a player’s career; however, in the modern NBA, fitness, adaptability, and shooting are given more weight. All-stars Jason Kidd, Grant Hill, and Vince Carter changed their styles to become role players when they entered their 40s.
But because he hasn’t yet made significant sacrifices, James has distinguished himself from other athletic wings like Hill and Carter. His player efficiency rating of 21.8 is far higher than that of other wings (40), and the only player who can match it is Stockton, a classic pass-first point guard. Although James is a “freak of nature,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated last month that his mental “concentration and motivation” have been equally “amazing to watch.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo, a standout for the Bucks, stated, “This is something that has never been done before.” “He has given us the plan. All we need to do is follow. You must not only look after your physical well-being but also improve your skills.
Although he has done better than other aging icons, James has had his poorest season since his rookie campaign in 2003–04. He is still an all-star player, according to his box score statistics, but he hasn’t been a genuine MVP contender since 2019–20. The Lakers, who have only made it past the first round of the playoffs once since James guided them to the 2020 title, are attempting to hang on in the middle of the Western Conference standings.
James was one of the NBA’s top players in terms of plus-minus for a large portion of his playing career, and his teams consistently finished among the league’s best offensive units. The Lakers are 14th in offensive efficiency this season, and James is playing at his worst point average of minus-3.7 per game. Because he is hitting fewer free throws, dunking less frequently, committing more turnovers, and finding it harder to keep up his defensive intensity, his impact metrics have suffered.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr remarked, “If you’re forty… it’s a lot harder physically and emotionally to face what those guys face night after night.” “Players must retire for a cause. They are not able to continue.
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It’s unclear how much more James needs to change as this season progresses. In a recent FanDuel TV interview, Carter, who retired at age 43 after 22 seasons, claimed that James has been “playing too many darn minutes.” In contrast, Carter averaged less than 25 minutes per game during his age-40 season with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2016–17, while James has averaged 35 minutes per game.
James missed two games and rested for more than a week following a particularly bad performance against the Miami Heat in early December. He made a triumphant comeback, scoring 31 points and dishing out 10 assists in a thrilling victory over Curry’s Warriors on Christmas.
Lakers coach JJ Redick stated that James’s role is flexible and changing. Now that my staff and I have a clear idea of how we want to employ him, we’re in a good place. His defensive engagement and effort have been unheard of by anyone for the past two weeks, maybe since the Miami game. However, it is also [crazy] for a 40-year-old.
Bringing the aircraft down
James is running out of things to do on his bucket list, aside from the details of his weekly management. His next big ambition, to purchase an NBA team, cannot happen until after he retires, even if he has already become the NBA’s scoring champion, shared the court with Bronny, and won his third Olympic gold medal in Paris this summer with Curry and Durant.
He could break the record by playing in his 23rd season and possibly overtake Kidd for third place on the all-time assists leaderboard if he chooses to exercise his $52.6 million contract option for the 2025–2026 season. He might then try to join forces with his 17-year-old son, Bryce, who will be eligible for the 2026 draft.
After winning his fourth Championship in 2020, James re-signed with the Lakers several times, demonstrating his resistance to the temptation to chase rings in his latter years, even though he hasn’t matched Jordan’s six titles. Money isn’t much of a concern because James has signed a lifetime contract with Nike and will shortly become the first NBA player to earn $500 million in his career.
At All-Star Weekend in February, James hinted at the prospect of a retirement tour, but he signed a two-year contract over the summer and made no plans to begin the season. James’s every move is shadowed by the “greatest of all time” discussion with Jordan, but unless he wins more titles, the competing arguments appear to have solidified.
After throwing a party at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington to mark his 40th birthday, Jordan announced his third and last retirement two months later. James continues to play as long as it is better than the alternative for the time being.
Silver remarked, “I recall the end of an era with Michael, Kobe, Magic, and other great stars.” Every time they on the court, fans pay close attention because they are witnessing one of the best players in history. James continues to perform at a very high level.
Artur Galocha did the illustrations and graphics.
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