LeBron James turned 41 on Tuesday, which continues his impressive run as one of the oldest players in NBA history. This season, he is the oldest player, but he remains one of the most productive. This season, he struggled with sciatica, which made him miss games. Despite that, he has been solid, averaging 20.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.
James is not even back to his best yet, but everyone knows he will be contributing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Considering he is a year into his 40s, James has been impressive not only to the fans, but to his teammates as well. Nick Smith Jr. Is one of the players always impressed by James of how well he's playing despite his age.
Smith believes James is not a normal athlete
Over the past two decades, the NBA has seen a perennial superstar in LeBron James. He is one of the biggest anomalies for athletes because he is fast, strong, and that has not dropped off since his teenage years. The longevity is part of why he is such a well-respected superstar.
Despite being in his 40s, James is still playing at the highest level of basketball. The majority of the NBA player base throughout the league's history are retired by 40. James is not a normal athlete because he is still thriving as a 41-year-old.
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Smith has been James' teammate for this season as a two-way player. As a 21-year-old athlete, Smith was born after James made his NBA debut, which is such an impressive feat for James. Due to this age difference, Smith and other young players appreciate James more because it is an unbelievable bit of information.
"He and my dad are the same age, and my dad played (in college and) has not played in like 10 years. So the stuff he does is incredible. Yeah, he's not normal. He's not normal," Smith said ahead of the Lakers' game on Tuesday.
James' longevity is a testament to his consistent greatness because he is standing out as one of the best players in the league in his 40s. He might not be the biggest MVP candidate anymore, but he is working hard to help the Lakers win every night.
For young players like Smith, it is a privilege to play with James. The latter is one of the biggest legends in sports, so getting to play and work with him should be a treat for any player who grew up in the past two decades watching James stand out.
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