LeBron James seems to age like wine as he remains a productive player despite being in Year 23. The Los Angeles Lakers remain in the thick of the playoff race and James has played a large part in their success.
After missing the start of the 2025-26 season, James took his time ramping up and now appears ready for the stretch run.
Against the Denver Nuggets, LeBron reached another career milestone as he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leader in made field goals. James accomplished the feat in the first quarter with a turnaround jumper, a shot he’s perfected in the later stages of his career.
Prior to the game against the Nuggets, head coach JJ Redick compared the 41-year-old to Bruce Springsteen because of their longevity and greatness in their respective fields, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“I’m a big Bruce Springsteen fan and I would probably say his like early albums really really get me going. There’s a youthfulness to him, an energy. Nebraska is actually my favorite album of all time and that’s like very different for what he had done that far in his career. And then you can kind of see the evolution of him as a singer/songwriter and then he comes out with like the greatest hits. And you’re like, ‘Wow this is pretty good.’ And then after that he comes out with The Rising which is one of the most important albums of the 2000s. So you get to the end and you’re like, ‘Holy -expletive- this guy’s greatest hits are like insane. And LeBron’s greatest hits, he just keeps adding to ’em. He just plays and plays and plays and the greatest hits…he’s got a hell of a catalogue.”
As Redick illustrates, James has never had a down stretch in his career as he’s always found ways to contribute to winning. Even as his career comes to a close, he’s still able to hang with his peers and give teams like Los Angeles at least an outside chance in the playoffs.
It feels like LeBron could play well into his 40s at this rate, but he has admitted that retirement is just around the corner. With James’ NBA career coming to a close, fans would be wise to cherish him while he’s still around.
Timothee Chalamet took inspiration from LeBron James
LeBron James’ greatness is something that anyone can admire, including successful actors like Timothee Chalamet. Chalamet appeared for a live taping of “Mind the Game” and revealed he took inspiration from James and his career.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.
