LeBron James’ game has undergone amazing changes after nearly 20 years of dominance.
If you watch a game today, you’ll notice LeBron like to shoot the ball from distance, and he’s shooting more mid-rangers and three-pointers now than he has in his career.
Early on, however, James used his other-worldly strength and athleticism to overpower his opponents. It was highly effective at the time, but even James admits he didn’t always have a plan.
Speaking to the press amid his historic stretch of play, James looked back on his early career and how his game has changed from what it used to be.
“First 11 or 12 years, I was just super-duper athletic and I can not be as efficient and I can not be as dialed in on the game I can go out and just figure things out once I jump in the air. I knew in my first few years If I could take off I was gonna be up there a lot longer than you. Then I’ll figure it out after that.”
It’s amazing to see how much LeBron’s game has evolved over time. As he has gotten older, and his body has slowed down, Lebron has had to rely more and more on muscle memory, basketball IQ, and straight-up fundamentals to outsmart his opponents.
The results, at least so far, have been great. This season, James is averaging 30.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 7 assists per game on 50.8% shooting.
Is LeBron James The Greatest Player Ever?
No other player in NBA history has dominated as long as LeBron has for the past two decades. Somehow, despite being almost 40 years old, he’s still one of the elites and that’s a testament to his work ethic and dedication.
You feel like you’ll never have an opportunity for your dreams to become reality,” said James during the NBA’s recent ‘Scoring King’ ceremony. “I didn’t allow those moments to deter me from my dreams, I had dreams every day of playing in the NBA. I had dreams every day of being an inspiration to people, I had dreams of one day being able to throw no-look passes like Magic Johnson. To be able to shoot fadeaway like Michael Jordan, to be able to cross someone over like Allen Iverson, to have an afro and jump in a dunk contest like Kobe Bryant. I looked up to so many athletes and people on my journey. they gave me inspiration and they allowed my dreams to not die.”
LeBron says he still has several years left in the NBA, and it’s easy to believe it. As long as he continues to take care of his body, puts in the work to stay ahead of the pack, and is surrounded by players who can help him be productive on the court, there’s no limit to how long he can go.
It will be interesting to witness what more James can accomplish, and how much longer he can stay playing at this level.
Source: https://fadeawayworld.net
