Common Ailment Affects 39YO LeBron James’ Photographic Memory: “I Played in That Game?”

After two heartbreaking losses in Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers will be eager to play in a friendly environment, the Crypto.com arena. They take on the Nuggets once again in Game 3 tomorrow, having last played at home on April 9. In this instance, it is, perhaps, the effects of Father Time and the long stretch without the support of LakerNation that has affected LeBron James’ famous photographic memory ahead of tomorrow’s crucial game.

Surprisingly, a usually sharp King James had no recollection of playing in the Lakers’ last home game which was over 15 days ago. And the 39-year-old did not even know which team the Lakers faced that night. With a confused look on his face, LeBron asked, “What was our last home game?” With that, the reporters had to swoop in, reminding LeBron that the Golden State Warriors were their final home opponents in the regular season. And LeBron was even more surprised with that response, not recalling playing against Stephen Curry and the Dubs, “I played in that game?”

And it took the 4-time Champion a second to remember that he was not at 100% during that encounter, “Oh, I was sick in that game though.” Dealing with a sickness for several days causing him to miss the previous encounter against Minnesota, LeBron said he was “out of it” during the last home game against Golden State. However, the sickness did not reflect in his performance, dropping a near triple-double that night with 33 points, eleven assists, and seven rebounds. “Yeah, that’s how long it’s been it feels, so, hopefully they are excited coz we are looking forward to them.” James hilariously added.

LeBron James’ photographic memory

Well, it came as a shock when LeBron was not able to recall the game against the Warriors. Because that is not what the NBA world is used to seeing from the 39-year-old legend. With a history of recalling every detail of the game on the go, LeBron has boasted his photographic memory multiple times. And he revealed having that gift since he was a kid during a 2020 interview with Sports Illustrated, “I’ve always had it… I didn’t even know what photographic memory meant when I was younger until I got older. It’s something that I was born with or blessed with.”

And it’s not just a false claim. Time and again, LeBron has proved that he remembers everything that happens in a game. Who can forget the time when James stunned the world by voicing out a play-by-play detail following his Game 1 loss against the Boston Celtics in the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals? Even his on-court rivals, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr were impressed by LeBron’s memory.

Or in the same series when LeBron told exactly how he turned the ball over six times during the Game 5 loss. And to add a cherry on top, he revealed how he could have avoided those mistakes. While LeBron’s photographic memory may come as a shock to people, that is one of the reasons he has remained on top of his game for over two decades. And, hopefully, the minor setback in recollecting the Warriors’ game does not affect his performance going forward.