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Los Angeles Lakers: Dwyane Wade deems it ‘special’ that LeBron James is still so good

By James Francuz

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 10: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat hugs LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers after the game on December 10, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 10: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat hugs LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers after the game on December 10, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Future Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade recently praised former teammate LeBron James in a major way.

2006 NBA Finals MVP Dwyane Wade and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James have a fairly rich history together. Let alone the tight bond they share as friends, the two also accomplished quite a bit as teammates.

From 2010-11 to the 2013-14 campaign, the dynamite duo carried the Miami Heat to four straight NBA Finals appearances. Along the way, they managed to raise two banners during that same span of time.

Of course, with respect to Wade, the man is no longer active. After what was a brilliant 16-year career, Flash decided to hang up his sneakers for good back in the spring.

Although that is true, D-Wade has not been totally silent and out of the picture since his retirement. As a matter of fact, the legendary shooting guard recently made a public appearance that has the NBA world buzzing at the moment.

Wade was recently interviewed while representing at the NBA2K20 Launch Party. The three-time champion will be donning the front cover of the “Legend Edition” of the video game.

During the course of the interview, D-Wade was asked to share his thoughts on James. Suffice to say, the former was not shy by any stretch of the imagination when it came to discussing his former teammate.

Via Harrison Faigen of SB Nation, the 37-year-old is simply blown away in terms of where things currently stand with LBJ. Granted James is 34 himself, Wade fully recognizes what The King still brings to the table at this stage of his basketball career. For that reason, Wade coined what LeBron is doing as “truly special” in his eyes.

"“I think what we all love to see is a guy going into his 17th season still dominating the league the way he’s been dominating. It’s truly special, so keep watching,” Wade said."

https://twitter.com/LakersSBN/status/1169832292623077377?s=20

It is difficult to disagree with Wade’s stance regarding James. Heck, the Akron native still managed to post excellent numbers in what many deemed an off year by James’ lofty standards in 2018-2019. In his 16th season, the all-time great averaged 27.4 points, 8.5 boards, and 8.3 dimes a night.

Alas, one crucial factor that derailed James and the Lakers this past year was the groin injury he sustained on Christmas. The team lost a lot of ground in the standings once the three-time Finals MVP was out of commission.

However, assuming James can stay healthy, there is reason to think his numbers could be as good as ever. Los Angeles boasts a rather deep unit, and, at the bare minimum, it is not inconceivable to envision LeBron averaging a career-high in assists in 2019-20.

Moreover, it is fair to bear in mind that the 6-foot-8 baller has had a considerable amount of rest this offseason. Given that L.A. did not make the postseason last year and that LeBron is not on Team USA, it is reasonable to expect nothing less than a “dominating” version of the player this time around.

Be that as it may, the red carpet is not going to only be rolled out for the Lakers this season. As Faigen astutely points out, the other L.A. squad is not looking too shabby, either. As a result, the Lakers’ quest to achieve glory for the first time in a decade will not be a piece of cake.

Other teams in the Western Conference alone are bound to make some noise as well. The Warriors, Nuggets, Rockets, Jazz, and Trail Blazers will not be easy teams to make mincemeat of.

Albeit the West is incredibly deep, there is reason to feel confident about the Lakers’ chances. A large part of it due to what Wade said. The Lakers have one of the best players ever who is continuing to do “special” things at an age where many rapidly decline.

Additionally, as Christian Alamodin of ClutchPoints expressed, “the King has given us consistency.” The guy is a bona fide triple-double threat on most nights. Furthermore, it is important to be mindful of the fact that up until this past campaign, James rarely missed time on the hardwood. Certainly, his overall durability has played a significant role when it comes to his longevity.

Nevertheless, as good as James has been, what fans are so used to seeing will not last forever. Therefore, sports fans need to appreciate what The King has done and continues to do while they still have the chance.

Next. 3 Goals for LeBron James next season. dark

Indeed, as Flash indicated, it is remarkable that his buddy is a top shelf athlete to this day. It is a testament to the sheer amount of work LeBron has put in to perfect his craft and stay in shape.

Thankfully, at the time being, we can continue to sit back on our sofas and witness perhaps the greatest small forward in NBA history.

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