LeBron appears to have slimmed down this offseason

LeBron James has a few laughs with coach Dru Joyce as he prepares to watch his son Bronny play the Midwest Basketball Club in a AAU game at LeBron James Arena on Friday, July 2, 2021 in Akron, Ohio. PHIL MASTURZO via Imagn Content Services, LLC

LeBron James appears to have slimmed down this offseason

Originally posted on Game 7 | By Anthony Amador | Last updated 9/24/21

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is known for taking tremendous care of his body. That said, injuries clearly hobbled him last season.

Fresh off an NBA championship run, James missed 27 games over the course of the 2020-21 season, and L.A. struggled mightily without him.

In part due to the fact that James wasn’t 100 percent, and at least somewhat due to the poor chemistry that existed as a result of his extended absence, the Lakers ended up bowing out early in the playoffs versus the Phoenix Suns.

This week, Rob Pelinka revealed that James took it upon himself to really work on his body this offseason. Last season’s failures no doubt served as at least partial motivation.

“I think the thing that stands out is just his fitness level,” Pelinka said this week. “He’s slimmed up. And we all know LeBron studies the greats, and he adds things into his game, and I think going into this stage of his career, he’s made a decision to come back a little bit leaner, and I think that’s going to translate in his explosiveness and quickness.”

Although James still weighs in at 250 pounds, same as last year, he has added some clear lean muscle.

Recent photos of the Lakers star show the results quite clearly:

Lakers @bibigoUSA

We’re proud to introduce our new patch partner and first ever global marketing partner. pic.twitter.com/xwxUPQOgtV

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 21, 2021

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— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 18, 2021

Bron x Brodie pic.twitter.com/M4oYkN9VAY

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 16, 2021

Interestingly enough, James isn’t the only Laker to focus on improving his body this past offseason. Big man Anthony Davis did the same, and his results are far more pronounced.

This is going to be a big year for L.A. The team will boast new uniforms and a lot of fresh faces. Many see the Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets as the favorites to claim a championship in 2021-22. If they’re able to do it, or get close at least, then this season will be viewed as a success. Should the opposite occur, then that may mark the official conclusion of the James era as we know it.

This article first appeared on Game 7 and was syndicated with permission.

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