One takeaway from the Los Angeles Lakers’ season so far is how great LeBron James truly is. The longevity the 38-year-old superstar holds and how high of a level he is performing in his 20th season is not only remarkable to the Lakers faithful, but also to James’ fellow basketball stars.
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić has already established a legacy for himself at 23 years old, but he admires the terrific shape and status James is playing at this year.
During an interview with NBA reporter Landon Buford, Dončić was asked about potentially catching up to James in terms of years playing in the NBA and scoring. The three-time All-Star cracked a joke about asking Las Vegas for the odds to catch James but went on to explain how difficult it is to do what James is doing, saying he doesn’t plan on playing 20 years at that level:
“Odds? You should ask Vegas that… it’s always a possibility, but it is going to be really tough. You gotta have a guy that plays for 20 years. 20 years in that shape, how he holds up that shape, I’m just setting aside all the basketball skills too. It’s very hard to hold that body… If you’re saying me there’s no way, because I’m not playing that much. But, it is just amazing to watch him. In his 20th season, what he is doing, scoring 30 or 40 every night, it is just incredible. We barely see those things.”
Dončić is correct, it is rare to see what James is doing in his 20th NBA season. However, if there is anyone in the league today who could potentially do something similar to King James, Dončić would be an excellent candidate after an amazing start to his career.
Both superstars play similarly offensively with inside scoring and playmaking being their calling card. No one will ever know where the league stands years from now, but if Dončić keeps playing at an MVP level every year, it is only a matter of time before his name is amongst the all-time greats like James.
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Dončić should also be a starter as he is second among West guards behind only Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
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