LeBron James could very well be the 8th wonder of the world at the rate he is going. Yes, you can argue that he isn’t the only player to have played for so long. There are other athletes who have surpassed him in terms of age. But how many can say they have played as well as the ‘Akron Hammer’ is doing as they neared retirement? The man is just three months away from officially turning 40 and he still drops 25 points any given night!

Bear in mind that a young Bron came straight out of high school with an improbable weight on his shoulders – the ‘Chosen One’. It’s not a position that a 19-year-old should be in. But the ‘Kid from Akron’ achieved all the expectations put on him and even surpassed them. And continues to do so.

Sure, not just any 19-year-old rookie in the league would be able to attain the kind of success the 4x champion has had. But experienced hoopers? Interestingly enough, popular NBA analyst Amin Elhassan believes that not even NBA vets would be able to do what LeBron James is doing. “I got to thinking, ‘Man, how incredible is it – this guy’s not 40. He’s gonna be 40 in December – and he is still this impactful offensively! Can anyone do it?’ No, most people fall apart,” he stated on Sirius XM NBA Radio.

An NBA player’s longevity and performance are determined by a lot of factors. One of the foremost among them is injuries. While King James is no Kawhi Leonard, he’s had his fair share of injuries. But it’s also important to note that the ‘King’ treats his body like a temple. He reportedly spends $1.5 million a year just to take care of his body and keep it in prime condition. That’s just the basic example of ‘the standard’ LeBron James has for himself.

Needless to say, this level of commitment year-round for more than two decades is difficult to maintain. And that’s why the 20x All-Star is one of a kind. However, Elhassan believes two players in the league wouldn’t “fall apart”.

“A game that ages well”: two NBA vets who could do it like LeBron James

We have heard of wine aging well or with people, ‘aging like fine wine,’ but a game that ages well? For Amin Elhassan, though, that’s the only way he can describe James’ game. In fact, he had predicted that would be the case because of one major reason. “I said this long ago about LeBron… ‘His game is gonna age well because he is such a cerebral player.’ His size is such that he’ll just become a power forward. I didn’t see it happening where he was gonna be this impactful offensively.”

Pay attention now, because it’s the big reveal. “The only person I can think of, like, ‘Yeah, he could still be doing it at this age,’ is Steph Curry.’… Kevin Durant and Steph Curry, both of them.” 

No doubt, you wouldn’t find many who would contest this argument. Steph is in a league of his own. He didn’t come into the league with the kind of hype that surrounded LeBron. In fact, it was the opposite. No one believed that the slim, little guy with skinny arms would end up changing the landscape of basketball and turn the Warriors into the dynasty they once were. But look at what happened.

As for KD, the man is a different breed altogether. Despite superstar potential, Durant never really assumed the kind of leadership that the above two have attained in their teams. But that never once stopped him from playing like one. Kevin Durant’s fanbase is insane! Looking at just how popular the ‘Slim Reaper’ is would obviously put him in league with the big names. And of course, more to the point, his long resume speaks for itself.

So, what do you think? Do you agree with the ESPN analyst? Or do you have a different opinion? Let us know in the comments.

Feel that you can do with another update from the sport of basketball? Then do check out this recent interview with the up-and-coming Georgia Lady Bulldogs star Asia Avinger.