LeBron James is going to be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame one day as an individual, that much is certain. However, even though he's still playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and yet to make an announcement as to when he'll be hanging up his sneakers, he already received enshrinement as part of the 2008 Team USA squad that won the gold medal in the Beijing Olympics — earning the nickname “Redeem Team”.
James would not miss such an honor for the world, especially when he played a starring role on the team alongside his good buddies Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Carmelo Anthony, as well as the late great Kobe Bryant. Just to put how incredible this honor is for the Lakers star, each and every member of the Redeem Team except for James were all out of the NBA by 2022 — with recent HOF inductees Anthony and Dwight Howard being the last ones to be active in the league.
No one in the history of the NBA could boast such insane longevity other than James, and he certainly did that on his Instagram account by posting an image of his Hall of Fame jacket — an unbelievable flex.
“We In The Hall Baby!!!!! Ayyyyyyeeee 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾👑,” James wrote as the caption to his post.
It's already one thing if James were to receive induction into the Hall of Fame before he becomes eligible. (One must be retired for two full years before enshrinement.) But for him to get such acclaim while still playing at a high level even though he's about to turn 41 in a little over three months? That is simply remarkable.
The Lakers star can boast all he wants about his achievement-laden career, as no one can ever take these accomplishments away from him.
Lakers star LeBron James is not yet done padding his HOF resume
James, unfathomably, is still going strong at age 40, as he's still a top-15 to top-20 player in the league. He did finish sixth in MVP voting last year and made the All-NBA Second Team — accolades that not many can touch, let alone a 40-year-old who's allegedly on his last legs.
The Lakers star, however, is not yet done adding to his HOF resume. He has grand ambitions still, and with Luka Doncic by his side now, perhaps James still has enough gas left in the tank to chase his fifth championship.
