LeBron James He is the youngest player while in court He first entered the NBA 20 years ago.
Now He is the oldest player in the league.
he akron boy, As James still calls himself, he is no longer a child, and The 38-year-old basketball player becomes the oldest player this season NBA.
There was only No. 3 at that time On this list last season, Behind Udonis Haslem (He played his last game two days before his 43rd birthday) Andre Iguodala (Retired at age 39).
James isn’t the youngest rookie player in the league; Darko Milicic, the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft who was ranked behind James, is a few months younger than James. Milicic made his debut two days later than James.
here is one Take a look at James’ numbers as he begins his 21st NBA season: The first is as an elder statesman of the alliance:
Chasing Karim again
Just like chasing the league’s historical scoring record last year, James is chasing the scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Abdul-Jabbar averaged 23.4 points per game in the 1985-86 season. This is the single-season scoring average for the league’s oldest player. That year, Abdul-Jabbar turned 39.
Abdul-Jabbar spent five seasons as the league’s oldest player.
This is the only one”The “oldest player” to average 20 points per game in a single season; Abdul-Jabbar did it twice, also averaging 22 points per game in the 1984-85 season.
James has never averaged less than 20.9 points per game in a season (that was his rookie year), and he averaged 28.9 points per game last season.
20 years old 39 years old
Only two players averaged points per game They score 20 points in a season with 39 or older. James will turn 39 on December 30.
Both cases occurred during the 2002-03 season. Karl Malone At the age of 39, he averaged 20.6 points per game. Michael Jordan In his age-40 season, he averaged exactly 20.0 points per game.
in season 21
James is Entering his 21st season in the NBA.
No one averaged more than 7.4 points per game in their 21st NBA season; Vince Carter did it in 2018-19, the same season Dirk Nowitzki averaged 7.3 points per game.
Apart from that, there are only four players left Carter and Nowitzki, They are participating in their 21st season: Moses Malone, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Willis and Robert Parrish.
James already holds the per-game record Players’ points in their 18th, 19th and 20th seasons.
all star level
he “old player” In a season in the NBA Selected to the All-Star Game 13 times previously. things happened in Abdul Jabbar five times, with John Havlicek three times and one Larry Costello, Slater Martin, Bobby Wanzer, Johnny Green and Robert Parrish.
Parrish is the latest player to receive this honor. In 1991, at the age of 37, he was selected as an All-Star.
James has been selected to the All-Star Game 19 times. Tied with Abdul-Jabbar for the most in NBA history. James played in all 19 games; a record for All-Star Game appearances, one more than Abdul-Jabbar.
two digits
Unless something shocking happens, there’s reason to think James is averaging at least 10 points per game this season.
It’s been a long time “Oldest Player” did it.
The last senior player in the NBA to average double figures in a single season was John Stockton averaged 10.8 points per game for Utah in the 2002-03 season.
Stockton was 41 that season; he spent two years as The league’s oldest player He didn’t miss a game during that time.
The closest thing to a double-digit average since then is Shaquille O’Neal, He averaged 9.2 points per game in 2010-11, his final season and his only season as the league’s oldest player.
What is an average?
generally, NBA’s “Oldest Player” He averaged 7.8 points per game.
Abdul-Jabbar set the 1985-86 season with a record 23.4 points; seven players averaged less than 1 point per game, led by Mike Novak (0.2 points per game) (he averaged 23.4 points in five games). 1 free throw in a game) was the lowest mark set in the 1953-54 season.
No. 43
James will become the 43rd player in NBA history The difference in keeping as The “oldest player” in the league.
Most players (26 out of top 42) They only held the crown for one year. Among them: Paul SilasHe was James’ first NBA coach when he entered the league with Cleveland at age 18.
Some have received titles “old player” in more unusual circumstances; Bob Cousy He was the oldest player in the league to appear in seven games during the 1969-70 season, as he briefly returned from retirement six years earlier, and Nat HickeyThe oldest player in the league and a coach who has been with the team for two games providence roller In 1948, he was 45 years old. He scored two points.
Robert Parish is the oldest player in the league with seven seasons, the most in NBA history. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar He won the championship for five consecutive seasons; Elvin Hayes and Vince Carter four seasons; Kevin Willis, Larry Costello, Dikembe Mutombo, Johnny Green, Udonis Haslem, John Havlicek and Al Cervi three seasons; and Slater Martin, Dolph Schayes, Bobby Wanzer, Andre Miller and John Stockton They did it in two seasons.
Other players to become the league’s oldest player in a season include: Silas, Cousy, Hickey, Lenny Wilkens, Shaquille O’Neal, Grant Hill, Steve Nash, Dale Ellis and Sam Perkins.
40K clock
james Reached 1,348 points this season of The total number of regular season goals in his career exceeded the 40,000 mark.
Based on his current scoring average (career average of about 27 points per game, last season’s average of about 29 points per game), James needs 47 to 50 games this season to win. Reaching the 40,000 point mark.
this means James could reach this milestone in late January or early Februaryif he does not miss a game during this period.