Even as one of the best players, Lakers star LeBron James still wants to get better
Closing in on nearly two decades of professional basketball, most would think that Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James can’t possibly get any better throughout the remainder of his career.
To his name, James has 16 All-Star selections, is a three-time NBA Champion and Finals MVP, and has four MVP awards as well. By this point, the logical trajectory for his level of play is, at the most optimistic, sustaining for as many more years as possible. It would seem as though a natural decline would start to set in soon for the 35-year old superstar.
That’s not exactly the mindset James has, though. One of the best players in the world and to ever play the game of basketball, he’s still looking for ways to get better and gain an edge, even as he gets older.
Phil Handy spoke about how LeBron James still wants to develop
Speaking to The Boardroom on Instagram TV, Lakers trainer Phil Handy talked about LeBron James and his mindset and work ethic when approaching training and shed some light on how he’s been able to push himself to continue to reach new levels throughout his career.
"“You look at Bron now and he’s the same. He wants to work on the same things. He wants to get better at every facet of the game from his ball handling to his finishing, to his post ups, to his pick and rolls, to his mid-range, to his threes, he wants to touch on every piece of the game because he plays that way.”"
Handy said one of the most surprising things about his work ethic is how receptive he is to coaching. Like a young, hungry player looking for an edge to develop faster, James still seeks out coaching and doesn’t shy away from help.
"“What has really had me taken back is his humility. As a player of that stature, he’s one of the most coachable guys I’ve ever been around. And when I’m talking about coachable he still looks you in the eye as a coach he still responds to coaching and he wants it. So even now, the things that we do now are to really help him continue to improve at this point in his career, and he works just the same, if not harder. He’s very efficient in his work, he doesn’t like to waste time.”"
It’s a true veteran mindset, one that will help LeBron and the Lakers reach the next level as he edges closer to age 40. Even though James could earn a hefty paycheck just hanging out on Instagram or continue to pad his net worth by going full-time into business ventures, basketball is still the primary focus. And it’s not slowing down.
It also invites some excitement for what’s ahead. If James is continuing to seek out ways to evolve his game and get more efficient, utilizing his skillset despite concerns of aging, how will his game look and change over the next few years? We already saw him turn into an elite facilitator this season, leading the league in assists per game, what’s next?
Only time will tell, but it’s clear that LeBron and the Lakers are determined to figure out how to make the most of the remainder of his career.