LeBron James is 38 years old. He is completing the 20th season of his NBA career. He is an elderly player if traditional basketball standards apply.
History suggests that it should already be in decline. But it’s not, not even close.
Write this off as another factor that separates James from other greats of his game who have managed to top the record charts for long periods of time.
The NBA’s new all-time scoring leader — he hunted Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Tuesday night, one Los Angeles Lakers star seizing the record at the expense of another — remains one of the best in basketball. He insists he wants to stay active for another two or three years, maybe even longer. He could set the scoring record bar so high that it would be almost impossible for anyone else to match him.
“I know I can still play at a high level … I’ve been able to do some amazing things in this league,” James said after scoring 38 points to increase his career production to 38,390. – three more than Abdul-Jabbar, the league leader. Historical table after about 39 years. “And I hope to achieve more amazing things before I retire.”
The unfortunate element of longevity records is this: Young people don’t set them. The authorship of the records coincides with the twilight of the players’ careers.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said, “Looks at LeBron’s physical wear and tear, the lack of sleep and 3 1/2 games every week, every season and how he takes care of himself.” “I hope the youth pay attention to that. Everyone who knows LeBron knows how he takes care of himself physically.”
Tiger Woods had 79 wins in 295 PGA tournaments between 1996 and 2013, a win rate of 27%, abysmal for golf. Since then, after several off-the-court incidents and numerous injuries, Woods has managed only three wins in 62 tournaments. He tied Sam Snead for the tour record with 82 wins. No one would doubt that Woods could find a way to get one more win and remain the absolute owner of the record, but few would believe that it would be possible.
Even Abdul-Jabbar saw his production decline in 1984 when he was traded to Wilt Chamberlain. Before the record, Abdul-Jabbar averaged 27 points per game. Thereafter, 17.7 points.
His coach with the Lakers and now president of the Miami Heat, Pat Riley, said, “Kareem was an extraordinary player throughout his career, even after setting records.” “The record doesn’t change anything for that.”
There are two notable exceptions to the notion that player production almost always declines after setting a major league record in American professional sports.
James is first. Kobe Bryant averaged 17.6 points in his 20th season, a record for anyone who has been active in the NBA for that long. This is a record that is about to fall. James is averaging 30 points per game in his 20th season.
Tom Brady was the other. The recently retired seven-time Super Bowl champion never gave up after holding three big records with Drew Brees as a quarterback could be – most completions, most touchdowns and most yards.
Consider what Brady has accomplished this season, his 23rd, as a 45-year-old: 4,694 yards, 25 touchdown passes, 490 completions (career-high), 733 attempts (career-high and league-leading). It may not have been his best year, but it was a very fruitful one nonetheless.
Brady never wavered.
So far, the same can be said for James. It continues to defy the passage of time.
And now you have to sit back and appreciate how many more points you add to this total. Barring injuries, the 40,000 point barrier is within reach. If he plays for two or three more seasons, 42,000 or 43,000 points is not a dream.
Interviewed by TNT after Tuesday’s game, Abdul-Jabbar said, “He’s going to extend this record a lot.” “It will be interesting how far this will go.”
