Four-time NBA Champion with the Golden State Warriors and 2015 NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala recently announced his official retirement from the NBA. Long-time Miami Heat big man Udonis Haslem also retired following the end of last season, which now makes Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James the oldest active NBA player.
Set to begin his 21st NBA season, James will turn 39 years old in just a few months, but the Lakers superstar remains amongst the NBA’s most elite players. Last season, LeBron was once again named to the All-NBA team and posted averages of 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists.
Upon recently getting the news that he is officially the oldest player in the NBA, LeBron gave a hilarious response before showing off a level of athleticism that looks nothing like that of a person nearing the age of 40:
? LeBron’s reaction! ? pic.twitter.com/SVMEK1Miyt
— NBA (@NBA) October 5, 2023
Moves like that are what many Lakers fans are hoping to see more of from LeBron this year. His foot injury severely hampered him during the playoffs, but prior to that, the Lakers’ superstar had many moments resembling that ridiculous dunk.
But he, and the rest of the Lakers, are focused solely on the ultimate goal of bringing home the franchise’s 18th NBA Championship. Even still, there are a number of individual accomplishments that could come LeBron’s way this season as well.
Most notably, LeBron needs just 1,348 points to become the NBA’s first 40,000 point player. James also has the chance to surpass another record held by Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Abdul-Jabbar averaged 23.4 points in the 1985-86 season, the highest ever by the NBA’s oldest active player and, coincidentally, Kareem turned 39 during that season, just as LeBron is set to do this year.
LeBron James has been making history for years now and this season could bring more milestones to a career that will be nearly impossible to match.
Kevin Durant calls it an honor to share court with Lakers’ star LeBron James
The Lakers’ preseason finale against the Phoenix Suns saw James share the court with arguably his greatest rival in Suns star Kevin Durant for the first time since Christmas Day in 2018. And that moment was not lost on Durant.
The superstar called it ‘an honor’ to share the floor with LeBron while admitting that with both nearing the end of their careers, there may not be many more times that the two face off.
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