The Los Angeles Lakers would not have taken a win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night if it weren't for LeBron James, that much is certain. Luka Doncic may have drilled the dagger triple to put the game out of the Pelicans' reach, but it was James who built a cushion for the Lakers in the first place to start the fourth quarter of their 111-103 win — with the King finishing with 30 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists on the night.
It's easy to forget that James is already 41 years of age. Even James has to remind everybody that he is, indeed, geriatric in NBA standards. But the Lakers star is a true one of one. Doncic acknowledged that fact by imagining himself at 41 and thinking of himself as someone who could no longer walk straight.
“For sure, it's just insane. Probably me at 41, I'll be limping around,” Doncic said with a laugh during his postgame presser, via @ohnohedidnt24 on X (formerly Twitter).
Luka on 41 year old Lebron:
"Probably me at 41 I'll be limping around" pic.twitter.com/1comAamFHX
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 7, 2026
James is as close to a god-like human sporting specimen as we can get, and it's not a stretch for Doncic to think this way when he's not the most athletic NBA star to begin with.
Luka Doncic's game should age gracefully for the Lakers
Doncic is only about to turn 27 years of age later in February, so it's not like he's in a position yet to be thinking about his aging curve. He's in the middle of his prime for the Lakers, and he should remain as such for the foreseeable future.
Nevertheless, considering the Dallas Mavericks' health concerns regarding Doncic that led to his eventual trade almost a year ago, one would think that Doncic would be the kind of star who falls off a cliff once he ages. But considering how he's never been reliant on top-tier speed and vertical in the first place, he should be able to age gracefully, at least on offense. Defense is another matter entirely, but that's never been his strong suit anyway as well.
