Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James may be entering his 21st NBA season, but if a recent report from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin is any indication, the future Hall of Famer is still firing on all cylinders.
According to McMenamin, James is “re-energized” heading into the 2023-24 season and has put in the work this offseason.
“When I asked LeBron how he was feeling this year, the term used was ‘energy,’ a source close to LeBron told me,” McMenamin said. “You think about this summer, his priority was getting medical care and attention, finding specialists for his son Bronny, who had a heart condition during his early internship at USC. But as part of that, when LeBron and When Bronny was traveling with him, he was looking for a gym. I heard he started training before the sun came up and that was his routine, and he was training twice a day in the weeks leading up to training camp next week.”
The fact that the Lakers had a very productive offseason may be an extra source of motivation for James Sr., who may be fully aware that his team has a chance to be dangerous this season.
By retaining key players and adding newcomers such as Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, Jaxon Hayes and others, the Lakers are in good shape to build on last season’s run to the Western Conference Finals. Los Angeles’ offseason has drawn widespread praise around the NBA, with many expecting the team to be among the best in the Western Conference when the new season begins.
The Lakers may not be done yet, either, with a recent report linking them to veteran guard Jrue Holiday.
Availability issues have begun to plague James Sr. in recent years, but he has remained productive regardless. In 55 games in the 2022-23 regular season, he averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game, shooting 50.0% from the field and 32.1% from beyond the three-point line.
What he definitely enjoys most is combining productivity with usability at upcoming events.
The Lakers will open the new season against the Denver Nuggets in a rematch of the Western Conference Finals on October 24. This game should provide an immediate opportunity to see how Los Angeles handles one of the NBA’s biggest title threats this season.
James Sr. is clearly motivated to make the most of the new season, and the Lakers have a lot to look forward to. This may be the superstar’s final season in Los Angeles, so fans will definitely cherish this season.