For someone who has accomplished as much as Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, it can sometimes be difficult to find more motivation. In James’ case, he has done practically everything there is to do in the NBA and is still going strong despite being in his 18th season.
LeBron has won championships with three different franchises, including the first in the history of his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers and helped bring the Lakers out of their worst stretch of basketball in franchise history. He’s won multiple regular season, Finals, and All-Star MVPs, and is at or near the top of so many all-time lists it feels like there is a new record being set every game.
But there are still some things James wants to accomplish and chief among them is to play with his son Bronny in an NBA game.
“That’s definitely one of my goals, but that’s a long-term goal,” James said during All-Star Weekend. “My son right now is in high school and enjoying what being a teenager is all about. But that would be pretty cool to go on my resume if I’m able to be on the same court as my son some day in this league.
“The league has given me so much, and I just try to give back to it. So if I’m able to give back the way I play the game, the way I inspire the game, what I brought to the game and also be able to give back by giving my son or lending my son to the NBA, that would be a treat for me and it would be an honor for myself.”
James’ son Bronny is still a sophomore at Sierra Canyon High School in Chatsworth, Calif., and won’t graduate until 2023. Though they may change, current rules still require all players to be one year removed from high school, be it in college, international, or the G-League, meaning Bronny wouldn’t be in the NBA until the 2024-25 season at the earliest.
This would require James to play at least four more years, which would tie him with Vince Carter for the most NBA seasons played in history at 22 and considering how great he still looks in Year 18, that doesn’t seem at all unlikely.
But James also remains focused on the short-term goals as well and that is an obvious one for he and the Lakers.
“I’ve got a lot of things that I’m still passionate about and motivated about still doing in my career, and still trying to win championships. That is the goal right now, and that is the motivation right now.”
James to take ‘full advantage’ of time off
If James is to accomplish that short-term goal of a second consecutive NBA Championship then he will need to be at full strength when the playoffs arrive. Just before the All-Star break, James sat out his first game of the season and he played just 13 minutes in the All-Star Game itself.
James now has a few days until the Lakers take the court again and while it isn’t the ideal length of time off, he still plans on using it wisely.
“Is it enough time? I’ll take any time, obviously,” James said. “So I’ll take full advantage of the time that we have. Is it enough time? No, it’s never enough time, but we’re not on the side of time. I’m not on the side of time. I’ll take full advantage of what I have and be okay with it.”
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