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NBA fans should enjoy LeBron James' dominance while they can
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

NBA fans should enjoy LeBron James' dominance while they can

By Adam Taylor  |  Last updated Nov 14, 2024 4:56 PM ET

LeBron James is defying the aging process. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar continues to prove himself as a top-10 or top-15 player despite being a month away from turning 40. 

In his first 11 games of the season, James is averaging 24.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 9.4 assists while shooting 52.4% from the field and 45.9% from three-point range. He has also enjoyed four triple-double performances to begin his campaign. 

Nevertheless, James' dominance doesn't mean he will stick around the NBA forever. He's already in his 22nd NBA season and will eventually want to move into the next phase of his life. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, who was speaking on Thursday's episode of "First Take," James could see the 2025-26 season as his last year in the league.

"This man is about to be 40 years old next month," Charania said. "His best three-point percentage of his career. It is the best free-throw percentage of his career. He's got the second-most assists of his career. And that's with the lowest usage rate of his career...I found it interesting this week, he said he's not going to play until the wheels fall off. My sense is next season could potentially be his last season in the NBA...Maybe Bryce James keeps him around another year or two." 

After he racked up his third straight triple-double on Wednesday night, LeBron spoke about his future:

"Wherever my mind is is how the rest of my body’s gonna go, whatever the case may be,” LeBron said. “I don’t know. I’m not gonna play that much longer, to be completely honest. I don’t know how many years that is, if it’s one year, two years, whatever the case may be. I said the other night I’m not playing until the wheels fall off. I’m not gonna be that guy. I’m not gonna be the guy that’s disrespecting the game because I just want to be out on the floor. Nope, that won’t be me."

Sooner or later, we will have to accept that James' career is nearing its end. He can't keep playing forever. His goal was to share the court with Bronny James, which he achieved earlier this season. However, he could move the goalposts for Bryce.

If he does choose to stick around for a few more years, it could be because he believes in JJ Redick's project and wants to add more championships to his resume. 

Nevertheless, we're not far from the post-LeBron era. When that time comes, the league will be losing an all-time great. We're lucky James is still dominating games at his age. Now might be the perfect time to start tuning into some more of his games — so that you can enjoy the experience while it lasts. 

Adam Taylor
Twitter/X Muck Rack YouTube

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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