'I Love To Train Still:' Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James Opens Up About Love Of Basketball As Year 23 Begins

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is 40 years old. He turns 41 in December and is the oldest active player in the NBA.

The 2025-26 season is James’ 23rd year in the NBA. The future Hall of Famer, who has been in the NBA since 2003, told skateboarding legend Tony Hawk on the first episode of Uninterrupted’s The Main Thing that he still loves to train despite being 40.

“I love to train still,” James said. “I love to go out and just like feel the basketball, get on the court, watch the ball float in the air, go through the net, hear the ball bounce, hear the shoes screech on the floor. It still feels like the first time I picked up a ball. It still feels like the first time I stepped inside a middle school gym and then a high school gym as a freshman. I still have those rookie feelings when I first was drafted into pro.

“I wake up early in the morning, I pack my bag, get the things, all my essentials that I need for that workout, and then when I hit the court, it’s like wow, this is still a beautiful feeling.”

James was the first pick in the 2003 NBA Draft out of high school. He has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice), Miami Heat and Lakers.

James enters the 2025-26 season with career averages of 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks. He’s a four-time MVP, a four-time champion, a four-time Finals MVP, a one-time scoring champion and a one-time assists champion. 

James, who grew up idolizing Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, is first in NBA history in points. He’s the only player to rank top five all-time in points and assists, the only player to win three Finals MVPs with three teams, the only player with 40,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 career assists and the only player to score 50,000 points combining the regular season and playoffs.

James has one year left on his contract with the Lakers. He becomes an unrestricted free agent next offseason for the first time since 2018.

James made the All-NBA Second Team and finished sixth in MVP voting last season. We have never seen an old player be this good.