Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Andre Iguodala, who won four NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors and was the 2015 NBA Finals MVP, recently announced his official retirement from the NBA. Longtime Miami Heat big man Udonis Haslem also retired after last season, making Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James the oldest active player in the NBA.
James is entering his 21st NBA season and will turn 39 in a few months, but the Lakers superstar remains one of the NBA’s most elite players. Last season, LeBron was once again selected to the NBA All-NBA Team, averaging 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game.
After recently learning the news that he was officially the oldest player in the NBA, LeBron responded hilariously and then showed off an athletic ability completely different from someone approaching 40 years old:
🤯LeBron’s reaction! 💥 pic.twitter.com/SVMEK1Miyt
—NBA (@NBA) October 5, 2023
Many Lakers fans hope to see more of this kind of move from LeBron this year. His foot injury severely hampered him in the playoffs, but not before the Lakers superstar had plenty of moments like that ridiculous dunk.
But he and the rest of the Lakers are focused solely on the ultimate goal of winning the franchise’s 18th NBA championship. Even so, LeBron could have many personal accomplishments this season.
Most notably, LeBron only needs 1,348 points to become the first player in the NBA to score 40,000 points. James also has a chance to surpass another record held by Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Abdul-Jabbar averaged 23.4 points per game in the 1985-86 season, the highest score by the oldest active player in the NBA. Coincidentally, Kareem was already 39 years old that season, just like LeBron That’s what this year will do.
LeBron James has been making history for years, and this season could bring even more milestones to his career that are almost unmatched.
Kevin Durant says it’s an honor to play with Lakers star LeBron James
In the Lakers’ preseason finale against the Phoenix Suns, James was on the court with arguably his greatest rival, Suns star Kevin Durant, for the first time since Christmas 2018. Durant didn’t miss the moment, either.
The superstar called it “an honor” to play on the court with LeBron, while acknowledging that with both men nearing the end of their careers, the two may not face off too many times.
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