“You’re probably never gonna be this close again to winning a scoring title” - Shannon Sharpe believes LeBron James should go full pelt for the scoring title
NBA and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and possibly the only highlight of the season for him personally is the fact that he has continued to put up MVP caliber numbers and is embroiled in a battle for the scoring title.
On Fox Sports' morning show Skip and Shannon: Undisputed, former NFL star Shannon Sharpe spoke about how the Lakers superstar should go ahead and try to win the scoring title. Sharpe said:
"Go! Go! We going for it. You're so close and you're probably never going to be this close again to winning a scoring title."
LeBron is battling it out with Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo for the scoring title as the superstar has three games left in the season but his participation in those three games is questionable as he is recovering from an ankle injury.
There has also been suggestion about how this would be bad optics if he went after the scoring title in these three games after not being able to participate in a do-or-die game against the Phoenix Suns with their season on the line.
.@ShannonSharpe on whether LeBron should aim to win the scoring title:
"GO! GO! We going for it. LeBron will probably never be this close to winning a scoring title again. You can call him selfish, but one thing you WILL be calling him is scoring champion." https://t.co/5LforQclu2
LeBron James' scoring prowess in Year 19
LeBron James, at age 37 in his 19th season in the league has been playing at an MVP caliber level and been the only beacon of hope for the Lakers. He has had to do more than he would have liked at this point in his career during the regular season and this is a testament to the greatness of King James.
LeBron is currently averaging 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists, while shooting the ball better than 52% from the field and nearly 36% from beyond the arc while also shooting over 75% from the free throw line. He has recorded six triple-doubles and 21 double-doubles this season for the Lakers.
When you factor in the position (center) he has to play this season for the Lakers due to the absence of Anthony Davis and inability to establish chemistry with Russell Westbrook, it is even more remarkable the numbers he's managed to produce at this stage of his career.
LeBron James in year 19 is also attempting the most shots of his career from the perimeter as he continues to improve his efficiency from beyond the arc as this helps in avoiding the clanging and banging he has to endure while attacking the rim. This will help him prolong his career.
It is also only a matter of time before he eclipses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's long-standing scoring record and will also all in all likelihood finish his career ranked top-five in almost all major statistical categories.
While he may not be recognized as the greatest scorer the game has ever seen, you can't deny the fact that LeBron James will end up with the most points scored by a player ever in the league, all the while managing to average over 27 points for his career.