At nearly 40 years old, now should be the time when LeBron James begins to wind down his basketball activities. But with a commitment to join Team USA this summer, James will have an unusual disruption in his summer routine and it could have a big impact on his play moving forward.
“Over the last 4-5 years, I’ve given my body two months of no basketball,” James said on the latest episode of ‘Mind the Game’ podcast. “It’s challenging now because in two months training camp starts. I don’t want to go into camp not doing anything for two months.”
LeBron James is meticulous about his body and he goes to great lengths to ensure he stays durable and fresh over a long 82-game season. Somehow, at 39 years old, LeBron continues to play at an elite level and he’s healthy more often than he’s not.
Coming off a particularly brutal season for the Lakers, LeBron would have normally taken a break from the game entirely until it was time to ramp up for a new campaign. With the Olympics in play, however, it throws off the entire schedule and presents a new challenge for the King.
To ensure he’s in good condition for the tournament (July 26-August 11), LeBron is going to need to stay active and in the gym throughout the offseason. Unfortunately, by the time the Olympics are over, the regular season will be right around the corner and there will be practically no downtime to recover.
Unless LeBron retires or walks back his Team USA commitment at the last minute, he’s going to be in for a busy year and it’s sure to take a toll on his aging body. So far, James has managed to overcome every challenge in his path but it remains to be seen how much longer he can sustain this level of production.
LeBron James Is The Story Of The Summer
As an unrestricted free agent in July, LeBron James can shake the basketball world with his decision this summer. After 21 seasons in the NBA, he’s got nothing left to prove on this stage, and retiring at the end of a gold medal run would only be icing on the cake for the 4x champion.
After averaging 25.7 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game during the regular season, James showed that he can still play at a high level and there’s no reason to think that will change going into next fall. However, as LeBron has mentioned before, his will to endure the grind of an 82-game season is starting to fade, and he has already acknowledged a growing desire to spend more time with his family.
Of course, even if he does agree to return next season, it doesn’t mean it will be back with the Lakers. LeBron’s interest in playing with his son has been well-documented, and that outcome is still in the works, depending on if/when he gets picked.
As LeBron considers all his options, he’ll also be preparing to represent Team USA on the world’s biggest stage. With a lineup set to feature superstars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Anthony Edwards, and others, James will be one of many legendary stars fighting for the USA this summer.
Hopefully, it doesn’t put too much of a burden on James to come through for them in Paris, but either way, he’s taking a massive risk by participating, given how little time he’s got left.