Playing in the NBA for 17 years is a challenge for a lot of players. But playing at an MVP level even in the 17th year is just LeBron James doing LeBron James things. The 35-year-old had an excellent campaign last season, taking the Lakers to the title and winning the Finals MVP.
His former teammate, Dahntay Jones, recently praised him for his athleticism and explained how LeBron is still dominating in Year 17.
“I pride myself on being the first person to the gym because I’m a role player,” Jones said while speaking to Lakers legend Michael Cooper. “I have to do that to be on teams and be available. But I am walking in with him. He is preparing like I am preparing. Greatest in the world. He’s stretching early, he’s lifting early, working out on the court early.
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“So (we) develop a relationship on the road as well of just being the guys that work extremely hard. He works harder than anybody else, he trains harder, he prepares film-wise, he recovers with the best of them. He’s always doing things go make himself ready for the next game.
“When you got a guy that athletically supreme to everybody else but then mentally locked into his physical as well, that’s what you see in your 17th year being able to still dominate the game of basketball.”
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Will LeBron James continue to dominate in Year 18?
After having the most impressive Year 17 campaign in NBA history, LeBron will be aiming to repeat it next season.
The biggest positive for him is having Anthony Davis alongside him. If LeBron was under pressure to be the best player every night, it would have been more exhausting for him. But Davis is another MVP caliber player, so that eases the burden for LeBron.
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He reminded everyone during the playoffs that he is still the best player, not only on the team but in the whole league. The Lakers will expect him to continue to dominate next season as well. With the league getting tougher, LeBron and co will have to take their performance to the next level to stay in the contending conversation.
ALSO READ – Lakers Guard Danny Green Points Out the Major Differences Between Anthony Davis and Tim Duncan
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