Usually, there is an upper limit to an athlete’s prime. Whether old age, decline, or injury, each athlete has to face Father Time. However, LeBron James and his continued excellence have brought a change to the notion. Due to his production remaining at peak levels 20 years into his career, his prime seems eternal. But, is it a case of too much? Charles Barkley certainly seems to think so.

Because he thinks he’s seen this movie before and knows how it ends. The 1993 NBA MVP remembers how this tactic played out for another Lakers great; Kobe Bryant.

The LeBron James workload problem according to Charles Barkley

Despite being in what should be the final stages of his career, LeBron James remains in peak condition. This season, while being the oldest player in the league, James has been the most consistent player for the Los Angeles Lakers. Whether it be scoring, passing, or even defense, King James?has been consistently brilliant.

However, his age and the miles on his body are a cause for concern. That amount of wear and tear can weigh one down and that is the fear that Charles Barkley has. While giving credence to his greatness, he doesn’t believe it is a sustainable model for the soon-to-be 39-year-old.

During the Lakers’ resurgence over the last couple of weeks, the 4-time MVP’s minutes have slowly gone up. During the last 3 outings, he’s been above the 35-minute-a-game mark. And, that could become a major cause for concern.

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Before LA takes on the Utah Jazz, Barkley communicated his apprehension, “I do not think it’s sustainable…You know how much love and respect I got for LeBron…But I think he thought Anthony Davis was going to take over by now and he clearly knows that’s not going to happen…I don’t think he can sustain it.”?

But, it isn’t just Chuck being his usual self that brings him to such a conclusion. He’s seen a similar story play out before. Despite taking over the superstar reigns in LA from Kobe Bryant, is James on a similar trajectory?

Is LeBron walking the Kobe path?

During the 2012-2013 season, Bryant would go an exceptional run. While his minutes were climbing late into his 30s, his body was slowly breaking down. Eventually, that led to a torn ACL and the iconic walk to the free-throw line.

However, after returning, Bryant wasn’t the same player. While he did have occasional explosions, they were few and far in between. But, the story from Chuck reveals that he predicted this for Kobe as well. “Remember, we had this argument with Kobe Bryant. He says, ‘Well, I’m going to do this.’ And I said, ‘You’re not going to do anything at your age. And, next time I saw him, he was bringing me $25,000 in cash.”

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While the comparisons are obvious, James has already dealt with injuries in the last couple of seasons. While none have been as severe as?The Black Mamba’s, it remains to be seen how long the leading scorer in NBA history can keep it up.