Amid various team's penchant for letting their star players sit out citing āload management,' Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James double-downed on his stance. In his 17th season, James insists that he'll play wherever he's healthy and won't sit out just to rest.
No load management days in Year 17 for LeBron š¤ pic.twitter.com/oL29ERpY3m
ā SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 16, 2019
LeBron in year 17, doesn't believe in load management:
āI donāt know how many games I got left in my career. I donāt know how many kids that may show up to a game that are there to come see me playā
(via @TheNBACentral)https://t.co/8nshukDpZl
ā The Crossover (@TheCrossover) December 16, 2019
In the Lakers' 26 games this season, James has played and started and every single one. This is contrary to the likes of Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks who have sat out in several games to rest. Teams believe that āload management' is essential since they want their star players to be fully healthy come the postseason.
However, from a business standpoint and to the point of view of the fans, āload management' is not beneficial. After all, some fans make spend lots of time and money to watch games live just to see these stars play. Then, out of the blue, it turns out that they won't be playing not because they're injured, but simply because they want to rest. Taking time off for just a game or two in the long season can go a long way especially for a team that's contending for a title.
But for James, his goal is not just to win the title, but to serve as an inspiration to the kids who are looking at his every single move out there on the court. As long as he can play, James will suit up and give it everything he's got.