LeBron James knows the end of his historic NBA career is coming at some point, but the Los Angeles Lakers superstar says when the day finally arrives, it will not be about sadness, it will be about celebration.
Now in his 23rd NBA season, James continues to produce at an elite level despite dealing with the natural wear and tear that comes with two decades in the league. The 41-year-old is still averaging 21.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game, proving he can remain impactful even in the latter stages of his career.
While his three-point shooting has dipped to 31.3 percent this season, James continues to influence games through his playmaking, post scoring and transition dominance.
“I kind of look at it like when you lose a loved one and you have a funeral,” James told the California Post in an exclusive interview with Melissa Rohlin. “People tend to be sad, but it’s also a celebration of life. I think for me, when I’m done with this game, it’ll be a celebration of life and not of loss. It’ll be a celebration of everything I’ve been able to accomplish in this game, everything I’ve put into it. The moments, all the love.”
For James, the most important part of his legacy is the way he approached the game every single day.
“I didn’t cheat the game,” James told the California Post. “Listen, I’ve dedicated to this sport. I’ve never cheated the game. I’ve showed up every day on time. I’ve put my work in both on the court, off the court. Just showed grace. That’s what it’s about.
“I’ve just wanted to maximize and squeeze everything I could out of the game because I understood what it gave me, my family and everything. So I was never going to disrespect the game gods. Hopefully there are some highlights in there between my years I’ve played this game. But I never cheated the game. Ever.”
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