"You might as well get back in the gym": Gilbert Arenas' father gave him stark warning about emergence of LeBron James
Gilbert Arenas' father warned him about LeBron James. When Arenas entered the NBA, James was still in high school, but it was already clear he would be a force at the NBA level.
Speaking on the Gil's Arena podcast, Arenas said:
"When you said nobody knew LeBron was coming, my dad did. I remember I got a call. He said, 'What you doing?' I said, 'I just finished working out,' he said, 'Well you better get back in the gym. There's a kid in high school by the name of LeBron James; he's like a hurricane coming.' Nobody's scared of no high school kid."
LeBron James was among the last wave of high school players who could jump directly into the NBA. The league enforced a one-year college policy in 2006 by adjusting their Collective Bargaining Agreement to require that players be 19 or over and at least one year removed from high school before entering the NBA draft.
Despite taking the jump to the NBA directly from high school, James had a dominant rookie season, averaging 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds on 41.7% shooting from the field. In his 20-year NBA career, His rookie season is still the only year he wasn't named to an All-Star team; such has been his dominance.
LeBron James is seen as a top-two player of all time
Every offseason, the debate regarding who is the greatest basketball player of all time becomes prominent. Yet, the NBA fanbase is split. Some believe Michael Jordan remains at the top of the basketball pyramid, while others have LeBron James pinned as the greatest ever.
The debate fills the airwaves, social media, and even barbershop talk. However, the truth is that both James and Jordan have their claim to the status of being the GOAT. Jordan has more championship titles (6), while James has longevity and unparalleled dominance (20 straight seasons.)
Both players are the top two talents in NBA history — this seems to be the only thing NBA fans can agree on. Regardless of who you have at number one, it's clear that both James and Jordan significantly raised the profile of the NBA. Being a global superstar isn't an easy feat to accomplish.
LeBron James is starting the first year of his contract extension
Last summer, LeBron James signed a two-year, $99 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. In the upcoming season, he will be starting the first year of his new contract, worth $47.6 million.
Once the 2023-24 season reaches its conclusion, James will have the option to trigger the second year of his deal or become an unrestricted free agent. Currently, there's no information regarding his plans beyond the ongoing season. However, it's clear that at the age of 38, he is coming toward the end of a legendary career.
How this year goes, and whether James contends for a championship or not, will likely have an impact on his decision regarding his player option for 2024-25.