"I've never cheated the process on wanting to be great" - LeBron James explains why he's still successful in Year 19
LeBron James put in another great performance for the LA Lakers against the Orlando Magic on Friday. James finished the game with 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists. It was his 16th straight game with 25 or more points, unprecedented for someone who is in his 19th season in the NBA.
In the postgame press conference, LeBron was asked by one reporter if he can tell by a player's personality whether it will translate to results on the court. "The King" noted that every player is different and it's all about how much work is being done to improve their abilities.
"I mean everyone is different so it's not even about the personality. It's about how much you put into the game, how much work ethic are you going to put into it every single day. Day in and day out."
LeBron James cited his career as an example on how to become a great player. He noted that he knew he had God-given abilities like size, strength and athleticism, but he also worked on all aspects of his game for the entirety of his career.
"I've never cheated the process on wanting to be great in this game. I knew I had a God-given ability, but that only takes you so far if you don't use that ability and start putting in work every single day and owning your craft and seeing ways."
Entering the league, James was an athletic playmaker without a consistent jumpshot. He worked on it, from a point forward to a legitimate scorer. In his 19th NBA season, James is playing at center, second in the league in scoring and still an MVP candidate.
LeBron James having a great season even at age 37
LeBron James is quite possibly having the greatest season for a 37-year-old player or for someone playing in his 19th year in the league. James is averaging 28.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. He's also shooting 51.7% from the field and 36.2% from beyond the arc.
In comparison to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone, who both played in the league at 37 years old, LeBron is having a better season. Kareem averaged 22.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists, while Malone put up 23.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
36,319 PTS
10,002 REB
9,908 AST
LeBron James is first player in NBA history with 30K PTS, 10K REB and 9K AST 👑 https://t.co/znmO1Vx4nL
The only problem for LeBron James this season is the inconsistency of the LA Lakers. Anthony Davis is hurt, Russell Westbrook is struggling to adapt to their system and the rest of the team is not playing great defensively. It has been an up-and-down season for the Lakers.
If not for LeBron, the Lakers would be one of the worst teams in the NBA today. He's carrying the team to the best of his ability. With the regular season past the halfway point, it's a make-or-break stretch for James and the Lakers.