Former NBA DPOY uses hilarious analogy to highlight LeBron James' incredible longevity at 39
Former NBA star Joakim Noah praised LeBron James' longevity in the league. James is currently the oldest active player in the league, and is tied with Vince Carter for the most seasons played in history. LeBron entered his 22nd season this year.
Joakim Noah pointed out LeBron's insane longevity and compared himself to the LA Lakers star.
“It’s crazy," Noah said. "I can barely walk to the bathroom and this guy is still dominating. It speaks volumes.”
While Noah's remarks regarding LeBron James aren't anything unheard of, what's surprising is the fact that it's coming from one of his critics. During Joakim's playing days in the NBA, he and LeBron would often matchup given that they both played for the Eastern Conference. However, Noah was often the recipient of heart breaks which led to him despising the idea of facing James.
Looking at LeBron James' 22nd season so far
After 22 seasons in the NBA, LeBron James is still up and kicking. While Vince Carter was able to last as long as James' current season, what surprised most people was the idea that the "King" is still playing at an elite level. Despite not being as explosive as he once was, LeBron is arguably still a top-10 player in the league today.
Looking at his first six games, James continues to prove why age is just a number. His best game was when the Lakers faced the Sacramento Kings in their third home game. "King" James dominated the hardwood and notched a huge triple-double performance. He put up 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists.
His worst game was when they faced the Phoenix Suns in a rematch after the LA Lakers initially beat them in their first matchup of the season. James only put up 11 points, eight assists, and five rebounds.
Despite the significant drop in scoring numbers, for the most part, LeBron still plays at an elite level. In their most recent game against the Toronto Raptors, James notched his first double-double of the season with 27 points and 10 assists. Looking at his averages, the "King" is averaging 22.2 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.7 rebounds per game so far.
Looking at Vince Carter's 22nd season, he only averaged 5.0 ppg and 2.1 rpg in the 60 games he played with the Atlanta Hawks before retiring.