One of the best rivalries in the NBA the past few years has been Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James against Father Time. James is the first player in league history to play in 23 seasons, but he remains one of the best players in the sport and just led the Lakers to a playoff series win against the Houston Rockets.
The saying goes that Father Time is undefeated. And even James, who has done unprecedented things in his late 30s and in to his early 40s, was eventually going to lose to him. James, though, joked with the Prime Video crew that the battle is already over and that Father Time failed to get him, via NBA on Prime:
.@TaylorRooks asked @KingJames how he's handling father time:
"I'm kicking his ass. … He already lost to me. It's over with." pic.twitter.com/qzxgGiDxbi
— NBA on Prime (@NBAonPrime) May 2, 2026
James has always had a fun personality and been willing to joke around in these post-game interviews. But Year 23 James has been especially calm and fun during these moments, as this is a part of him enjoying the moment as he nears the end of his career.
His joke is grounded in some truth. For a vast majority of professional athletes, their body breaks down eventually or their abilities fade to a point where they can no longer compete at the highest levels before they retire. Neither has happened in a significant way yet with James.
In six games against the Rockets, the 41-year-old led the Lakers and averaged 23.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.3 assists while going up against a very tough defense.
It seems as though when James ultimately retires, it will be because he no longer wants to play in the NBA, not because the league passed him by or he wasn’t physically capable. That, in a way, truly is defeating Father Time.
LeBron James celebrating small victories
James, at one time in his career, would not have been satisfied with a first round win and would already be looking to the next opponent. However, at age 41 in Year 23, he has a different perspective. Defeating the Rockets was an incredibly impressive feat, and he’s looking to enjoy that as his career winds down.
“At this stage of my career, I think I’ve talked about just living in the moment a little bit more and being OK with celebrating the small victories,” James told reporters in Houston after the Game 6 victory.
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