The idea of LeBron James playing into his mid-40s at an elite level sounds absurd, right? No players in NBA history has been able to deliver such a standard of excellence. However, James is not simply your everyday superstar. All it takes is one generational athlete to redefine a sport.
Such was the case with the NFL in recent years. Tom Brady challenged several norms regarding how long a quarterback should be able to sustain his spot near the top of the mountain.
Brady won a Super Bowl in his 40s. The superstar quarterback collected an NFL MVP in his 40s. The best to ever lace up the cleats at his position was still making Pro Bowls, breaking records, plus leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns. Brady defied all odds.
Basketball is a much different sport than football. Just because Brady did it in the NFL does not mean James can do it in the NBA. However, LeBron has not provided sufficient evidence to dismiss that thought. Quite the opposite, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar has kept the masses second-guessing how a steep decline has eluded him at every turn.
LeBron James will stop being elite when he decides to
James admitted the end was near as recently as an interview with Complex. There is no way LeBron can do this forever, but it sure did sound like even the four-time NBA MVP was not committed to any sort of finality yet.
James said, "I know I'm on the other side of the hump for sure. ... I'm not gonna play another 23 years. I'm not about to play another 10. So I'm definitely gearing up to where the end is. I'm not there yet ... but retirement is coming. It is coming. It's just not here just yet."
So how long will that 'just yet' keep James in the league?
Carmelo Anthony was caught joking with the topic of James' long career around the time of his Hall of Fame induction, inviting the last active member of the 2003 NBA Draft to join him on the other side. The question is: Why would he?
LeBron is still elite, still one of the top 10 players in the NBA. The Lakers are also shifting gears to a more competitive win-now approach, allowing James an opportunity to add to his already stacked resume.
Without significant cracks in the armor, there is no reason to plan the farewell tour just yet. James, much like Brady, can choose to stick around as long as the all-time great wants to, and continue dominating until the decision to move on is made.