LeBron James is a phenomenal player, so it’s no wonder people are so rave about him. However, one of his notorious detractors recently wanted to put a big rumor about the King to rest. For that, he resorted to a comparison with another monster of US sport.
30 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists average. For any player, those numbers would already be impressive over an entire regular season, including in their prime. But LeBron James decided to show once again that he was not like the others, since he succeeded … at 37, during his 19th season on the floors of the big league. If his Lakers committed a collective sinking, the Chosen One was once again incredible.
Given his advanced age, some observers are quick to claim that he fends off the effects of time, and could continue to do so for years to come. However, not everyone is as impressed by his exploits, starting with journalist Skip Bayless. The winger’s most famous hater, the latter has taken aim at his longevity recently, seeking to downplay it by putting him in parallel with an American football legend, in a similar case:
Skip Bayless blasts LeBron James’ longevity
LeBron James isn’t beating Father Time like Tom Brady is, says @RealSkipBayless: pic.twitter.com/7qJhDptLIz
— The Skip Bayless Show (@SkipBaylessShow) July 28, 2022
Is LeBron James beating time like Tom Brady can? The answer to this question is a big no in my opinion. Granted, LeBron James had the best 19th year of any player in NBA history, but that’s largely because few have played as long as LeBron.
Ultimately, LeBron is beating time on one level, while Tom Brady, soon to be 45, is beating time on a much higher level.
It should be noted in passing that the Fox Sports analyst worships Tom Terrific just as much as he cannot bear to see LBJ being mentioned in the GOAT debate, and that he is therefore absolutely not objective. On the other hand, it must be said that the Tampa Bay quarterback came out heavy last season, finishing as the most prolific pitcher in the NFL with more than 5,000 passing yards. And he is already 44 years old…
To come back to the King, although the only words of Bayless will not call into question the excellence of the quadruple champion when he is close to retirement, we will however have to monitor the progress of his 20th season. Indeed, he has been regularly disturbed by injuries for two years now, to the point of missing a lot of games. On this, the journalist is not entirely wrong: time does indeed seem to have a certain hold on him now.
Skip Bayless couldn’t help but criticize LeBron James for his longevity, especially comparing him to Tom Brady. Given the differences between the two sports, however, this is as unjustified as it is relevant. Hopefully, however, the Laker can continue their momentum in 2022-23.