Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James is nearing his season debut after missing the first several weeks of the campaign while dealing with sciatica. Prior to his return to game action, James spoke with media members and fielded a question about what he expects his role to be with the Lakers this season.
“Don’t matter,” James said. “I’m a ball player. The best thing about me and the way I’ve built my game over my whole life… I’ve never had a position. … There’s not one team, one club in the world that I can’t fit in and play for. I can do everything on the floor. So whatever this team needs me to do, and more I can do it.”
Many expected L.A. To struggle in James’ absence, but that hasn’t been the case. The Lakers have won 10 of their first 14 games and currently sit in the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference standings.
The Lakers’ strong start without James has led some to suggest that the team should bring the four-time champion off the bench upon his return, but there’s basically zero percent chance of that happening. Instead, James will have to figure out a way to mesh with L.A.’s first five, which shouldn’t be too difficult for him given his vast skill set and level of experience.
More difficult for James was being confined to the sideline at the start of a season for the first time in his career.
"It definitely sucks," James said of the time on the sideline. "Never in my life since I started playing the game of basketball have I ever not started the season.... So it's been a mind test, but I'm built for it and it's been putting in the work, both mentally and physically, trying to get myself ready to rejoin the team."
James, who will turn 41 next month, is in the midst of his record 23rd season in the NBA. If it were anyone else, we would wonder how much gas could possibly be left in the tank. But, when it comes to James, we already know that the answer to that question is a lot.
James is still one of the absolute best players in the entire NBA. He was selected to his 21st consecutive All-Star game last season and he was also named to the All-NBA Second Team for the fourth time. In 70 games for L.A., he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds per performance – certainly not the numbers of a player who is on his last legs.
The NBA is simply a better – and more exciting – place when James is out on the floor, so his imminent return is good news for basketball fans everywhere, not just in L.A.