“LeBron James, the Benjamin Button of basketball” | Daily List

LeBron James’ latest nickname is the one that best fits his current reality.

“Benjamin Backz” commemorates the protagonist of the story “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” by American writer Francis Scott Fitzgerald (one of the most famous writers of the last century).

The story follows the life of this special individual, who is born with all the characteristics of an old man, progresses through maturity and adolescence during the course of his existence, and finally dies as an infant in his crib.

After 20 seasons and approaching his 39th birthday, LeBron seems to have discovered the fountain of youth that he should devote more to business than active sports.

In the first 17 games of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers star averaged 25.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists while shooting 56% from the field, 39% from three-point range, and 39% from the free throw line. 69%.

His lifetime scoring averages (27.2) and assists (7.3) are a few points lower, and his individual shooting averages are worse (73.5), but his rebounding averages are the same (7.5) and his field goal percentage (50.5) is up. . and triplet (34.5).

Quite a feat considering he was the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft, and while he averaged 25 points per game, the second-best player in that draft is already in the Basketball Hall of Fame (Dwayne Wade) .

While it’s true that his dominance on the court isn’t quite the same as the high point of his career, and he’s been more of a liability than a help on the defensive end of the court for quite some time, But few, if not any athlete in human history have been able to display such physical and technical conditioning at such an advanced stage of their career.

eternal wonder

He is the first player to score more than 39,000 points (39,078), has the most career games with 20 goals (1,191), and the second most players with at least 30 games (539 compared to Michael Jordan’s 562). , also the longest consecutive number of goals scored. Extended by at least 10 points (1,168).

He ranks second in field goals made (14,312), third in minutes played (54,665) and minutes played (1,463), fourth in assists (10,531) and sixth in wins (933 ), ranks seventh in three-point attempts (2,299) and eighth in games played. Number of stolen goals (2,211).

While Anthony Davis completes his tenure as the Lakers’ starting player and coach Darvin Ham completes the puzzle and puts the necessary pieces in place, “Old” LeBron continues to come out and save his ball every night The team, perhaps not as in control as before, but as determined as ever.

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ring

He won four league championships, three with the Heat and one with Cleveland. The latter only won 1-3 in the final series.

lead

He was the scoring leader in 2007-2008 and the assists leader in 2019-20, one of the few to finish first in both categories.

Awards

4-time regular season and Finals MVP, 3-time All-Star Game MVP, 19-time All-Star Quintet and All-Star Game selection.