LeBron James is entering the 22nd season of his illustrious NBA career, and he believes he has secured his legacy.
But that doesn’t mean he isn’t eyeing more.
“Everything else is extra credit,” he told reporters Tuesday. “I’ll take it, though. I love it. I love what I do.”
It’s hard to argue with the King’s assertion.
While the greatest-of-all-time debates featuring James and Michael Jordan will continue with fans, the Los Angeles Lakers star has a resume that includes four championships, four NBA Finals MVPs, four league MVPs, 20 All-NBA selections and 20 All-Star Game nods.
He has won titles for three different franchises in the Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, including when he led Cleveland to a 3-1 comeback in the 2016 NBA Finals against the record-setting 73-win Golden State Warriors.
That Cavaliers team remains the only one in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals, and it did so in large part because of James’ brilliance.
James is the NBA’s all-time leader in points scored (40,474) and is fourth in assists (11,009), fifth in triple-doubles (112) and eighth in steals (2,275). His ability to impact the game in so many ways and continue doing so throughout so many seasons stands out among his peers.
There aren’t many firsts left for the future Hall of Famer at this point of his career, although there will be one during the upcoming season.
He will have the opportunity to play with his son, Bronny James, on the Lakers. Los Angeles selected the USC product in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft, which means there will be another James just starting to carve out his legacy as the elder one puts the finishing touches on his.
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