What Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is doing on the basketball court at 41 years of age and in his 23rd NBA season is unheard of. Even playing 23 years in the league had never been done, but LeBron is still playing at a high level and continually showing that he is one of the best players in the league.
There is simply no comparison to James in NBA terms, but when it comes to other sports there are a couple of players who could be comparable. One of those is Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, who played 23 MLB seasons and didn’t retire until the age of 42 and remained effective even as he grew older.
Lakers coach JJ Redick noted the similarities between JAmes and Maddux while discussing whether he has had to adjust his expectations for what the Lakers superstar is capable of at this stage of his career, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“No. Not recalculating because I know LeBron, I know how much he puts into this. I think it’s just recognizing, game-to-game, what he has. He’s Greg Maddux at the end of his career. Every night he doesn’t have his best stuff, but he has enough to win and I’m his catcher, I’m figuring out how to call the pitches. Sometimes he tells me to F-off and calls his own pitch which is fine too. To me it’s that, it’s like what’s the best way to kinda utilize him tonight based on the opponent, based on the coverage, based on how he’s moving. We have conversations sometimes in-game ‘how’s your 3-ball feel? Alright, I’m gonna run this softball play for you or I’m gonna put you in this spot versus the pick-and-roll because I know that you’ll end up with the shot.’ It’s really just that ongoing dialogue with him. To me what he’s doing at 41, what he did last year at 40, it’s greatness, it’s just a different form of greatness.”
The fact that Redick and James are able to communicate so well really helps in figuring out which ways to utilize him on any given night. LeBron, much like Maddux, just isn’t able to perform at that peak level every game, but he can bring enough to help the Lakers win.
With James being capable of affecting the game positively in so many ways, he is able to thrive no matter what strategy Redick and the coaches employ.
Luka Doncic believes chemistry with LeBron James will continue to grow
James has found his groove this season and now he and Luka Doncic seem to be locked in on the same page for the Lakers. And Doncic feels the chemistry between the two will only continue to grow from here.
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