When LeBron James took the court on Saturday night for the Los Angeles Lakers in their victory over the Orlando Magic, he surpassed Hall of Famer Robert Parish to become the NBA’s all-time leader in games played.
Very few players have played even 20 years in the NBA and one of them is Dirk Nowitzki, who was the mentor for James’ Lakers teammate Luka Doncic when he first entered the league. Nowitzki was in the building in Orlando to witness LeBron make more history and had nothing but praise for the superstar for his longevity and unreal level of play, via NBA on X:
“LeBron’s been incredible… Super happy for him and it’s fun to watch.”
Courtside sound from Dirk as he watches LeBron make history! https://t.co/jzhCYq2xwi pic.twitter.com/1ciIHaiuc7
— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2026
What makes James so special is his continued level of excellence at this stage of his career. Superstars like Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter were nowhere near as effective as they were in their peak years. And while LeBron has admittedly lost a little step, he is still clearly one of the best players in the NBA today.
A record like this really is a testament to the longevity of James’ career and the work he puts in to his body to be able to still perform at a high level. And even Parish himself said LeBron is deserving of the record. He now holds the records for games played and minutes played in both the regular season and playoffs, meaning he has put more miles on his body than any person to ever step foot on an NBA court, and yet he still regularly outperforms players 10 years younger or more.
Someone like Nowitzki is able to appreciate what LeBron is doing even more as he understands the work it takes to play at a high level in the NBA at this stage of your career. And no one has done it better and this late into their career than James.
LeBron James shares his perspective on Lakers’ game-winning 3-pointer vs. Magic
Dirk Nowitzki was in the building for a thriller as the Lakers were able to extend their win streak by defeating the Magic on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Luke Kennard. Afterwards, James was able to give his perspective on the final play that led to the Lakers’ victory.
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