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LA Lakers have ‘alien’ player who ‘continues to amaze me’, says James Worthy

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Jul 3, 2025 8:30 PM ET

The LA Lakers are blessed with a talented roster, but one player stands out above the rest to James Worthy.

The Los Angeles Lakers have a lot going on right now. Ever since LeBron James opted into his $52.6 million player option, the eyes of the NBA world have been focused on what the Lakers would do next.

LeBron wants to compete for an NBA championship, a fact he made known to the Lakers front office so that they could build their roster accordingly.

Well, so far, the Lakers haven’t made any major moves in this offseason. They actively refused to pay Dorian Finney-Smith, which reflects poorly on Rob Pelinka.

Then, their lack of activity in the free agency market cost them, as the Lakers missed three of their targets, who chose to sign with other teams.

It’s getting difficult to see which player the Lakers will sign. And it will be a shame if they don’t surround LeBron James with the right type of talent, given how highly James Worthy spoke of him.

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James Worthy still in awe of LeBron James’ greatness

James Worthy spoke on the Lakeshow podcast about LeBron James. He admitted that James’ sustained excellence even at this stage of his career is astonishing.

Despite being 40 years old, James is still one of the best conditioned athletes in the NBA, and continues to excel at the highest level.

“We’re going to find out that LeBron is not human. He’s alien. What he’s been able to do in this game, with the wear and tear of the travel.

“I know everything’s been improved, and they got better trainers, but I don’t care. Still, to put in those types of minutes and play with the type of force that he plays with… I was done at my 13th year.

“He makes it fun; he never stops working out. He broke the old formula for longevity. It just continues to amaze me that he can dominate. He dominated the last couple of years.

“He loves the game, and to see him still, I don’t have the words for it.”

LA Lakers wasting LeBron James’ last few years of greatness

For all the brilliance that LeBron James has exhibited in the final few years of his career, the Lakers have done nothing to capitalize on his greatness.

The Lakers have perennially surrounded James with a mediocre squad, pairing him with an All-Star and hoping he does all the work.

Rob Pelinka has coasted as the president of the Lakers, and hasn’t tried to build a contending roster in an effort to futureproof the franchise past James’ decision to retire.

In doing so, he has wasted the final years of one of the greatest players in NBA history. Just imagine the number of championships the Lakers would have if Pelinka actively recruited players.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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