LeBron James is the world’s most dominant athlete. There is not a single athlete in history who can compare to LeBron James’ longevity, except maybe Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. His career has spanned 22 years, which is amazing. With the GOAT discussion at the forefront of our minds, we can examine what makes LeBron so special when compared to the other greats of the game. His talent has been evident from his high school days. Everyone who watched him play at a young age saw an NBA future for LeBron. Nobody could have expected him to reach the heights he has.
LeBron James has had ample time to make a long and successful career
At a game in Ohio, we see a lady sitting in the crowd who has the attention of the people around her. On the back of her St. Vincent–St. Mary High School basketball shirt are the words “LeBron’s Mom”. At that point, the excitement around young LeBron was intense. He would be selected as the 1st pick in the 2003 Draft by the Cavaliers at the ripe age of 18.
His choice to forgo a college career aligned his career trajectory with another legendary Laker, Kobe Bryant. His choice to enter the NBA at age 18 meant that as long as he maintained his fitness, he could have an iconic and illustrious career. And to his credit, he certainly has done that. It’s rumored that LeBron James spends at least $1 million a year on his fitness training. That’s outside the actual basketball training he does with the Lakers.
His time with the Cavaliers, Heat, and Lakers was extremely productive, winning titles with each team. The injury problems that plagued other top-level stars were never a problem for LeBron. His intense fitness training can be thanked for that. He joined forces with Cavs fitness coach Mike Mancias early on and has since hired Mancias as his full-time personal performance coach and trainer.
What are the secrets behind LeBron’s longevity in the NBA?
One of those secrets is his intense training regimen. His trainer, Mike Mancias, posted a video that was a step-by-step, one-hour-long training session that LeBron does every single day. That video gave the world a glimpse of the extreme training that LeBron has committed himself to, and it is something to behold. His training schedule is just one part, as he and his trainers have stated.
Another aspect that LeBron swears by is diet. We underestimate the effect that the food we eat has on our body and its ability to function properly. LeBron stays away from red meat, opting for high-protein chicken or pasta. He has completely cut sugar and pork out of his diet and keeps a regular flow of salads and healthy snacks coming his way. His pregame routine includes a weight workout and a healthy snack before warmup begins.
One last thing worth mentioning is his commitment to rest and recovery. He picked up Yoga as well. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar credited Yoga for giving his body the strength to play at 40 years old. The GOAT comparison with Michael Jordan has the NBA split. Jordan still has some impact on the NBA. LeBron is the all-time top scorer in the NBA, something that was inevitable considering the longevity of his career and his abilities.
How much longer will we see LeBron James playing basketball?
For the past few seasons, LeBron James has operated on one-year contracts, leaving the door open towards retirement. His longevity has propelled him to the top of the sporting world. We can not think of any other player who has been able to dominate his respective sport for as long as LeBron has dominated the NBA. Retirement is a reality for any player in the NBA, no matter how well one looks after their body; time catches up with us all at some point. LeBron stated that he wanted to play for the Lakers alongside his son, Bronny. Now that that has happened, what is left for the league’s all-time top scorer?
