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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is now 34 years of age and entering his 17th season of service in the NBA. Critics wonder if the three-time champion is beginning to slow down, but he's confident that he can still dominate.
Remarkably, James has remained injury-free for much of his NBA career. Last season, however, the Lakers superstar suffered a groin injury, which forced him to miss a substantial amount of time. As a result, Los Angeles fell further and further out of playoff contention.
The King has recovered now, though, and he isn't ready to lie down just yet:
“I know what I’m capable of, I know what I can still do in this game, even at this stage of my career,” LeBron told The Athletic. “When the dust settles, and it will, we’ll see.”
Exactly when that dust will settle remains to be seen. Even now, James is a powerful force on the court. And now that Anthony Davis has joined the team, the Lakers are being viewed as a favorite in the Western Conference.
In Wednesday night's 126-93 preseason victory over the Golden State Warriors, James and Davis combined for 26 points. James had 11 assists, while Davis brought racked up 10 rebounds, eight assists and two blocks. If first impressions are an indicator of what's to come, the Lakers look to be a dangerous squad.
Last season's absence from the playoffs was James' first since his 2005 campaign with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite this fact, his name was mentioned throughout the playoffs:
“Even when I wasn’t in the playoffs, the Lakers and my name would come up throughout the whole thing,” LeBron said. “I know where I stand in this league so I don’t need that satisfaction (of seeing what it's like without me).”
James will eventually slow down. In his own words, he often says that Father Time is undefeated. However, he and the Lakers are focused on a championship push.
