On an episode of the 'KG Certified' podcast, NBA legend Kevin Garnett ripped the NBA office for not showing the proper respect to their greatest legend. According to Garnett, the league should have paused the game to celebrate when LeBron James crossed the 40,000-point milestone against the Nuggets earlier this week.
"They didn't do the 40,000 right," said Garnett. "You were supposed to stop the game, you were supposed to pay homage. And when we got to the Hall of Fame in Massachusetts, we better have a whole display of the 40,000, not only the ball but the jersey, the shoes, the socks. And if not the league is behind this... nobody's ever seen 40,000. If I'm LeBron I'm asking the whole league, does anybody have 40,000?"
The NBA took a sizeable break when LeBron broke Kareem's all-time scoring record and there was a whole moment where James, and the fans, got to acknowledge and appreciate history being made.
Scoring 40,000 points is arguably an even bigger deal than that, simply because it may never be done again. As the only player in NBA history to reach such a mark, we are witnessing uncharted territory with LeBron and what he's doing right now may never be replicated again.
For Garrett, he's disappointed that the NBA didn't do more to honor such an impressive milestone but LeBron is not done yet and there may be more milestones to celebrate in the years to come.
This season at 39 years old, LeBron's only focus is not on his points, but on ensuring the Lakers are in a position to compete in the West. At 10th in the standings right now, the odds don't look great but James' continued greatness continues to breathe life into their season.
LeBron James Is All-In On The Title Pursuit
Normally, any player who is as old as LeBron James would only be on the roster to provide experience and boost the culture in the locker room. Even after 21 seasons, however, LeBron is still playing at an elite level and his presence alone gives the Lakers a shot in the West.
This season, with averages of 25.3 points, 8.0 assists, and 7.1 rebounds per game on 52.8% shooting, LeBron hasn't lost a step on the court and the Lakers are relying on his production every night to keep them in games.
Unfortunately, LeBron himself has confirmed that the end is near for his basketball journey and it's only a matter of time before he walks away from the game for good. As a free agent this offseason, that moment could come within a few months, depending on how the Lakers finish their season.
With no word yet on a potential retirement tour, only LeBron knows how he wants to close out his historic run and he will have total control over his destiny this summer. But until his final decision is made, LeBron is doing everything he can to pull off a miracle and fans should appreciate what he's doing while they still can.
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