LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers still have plenty to play for this season.
He’s single-handedly kept them alive in playoff contention while Anthony Davis was nursing an injury, having one of the best seasons of his career despite his age.
So, given his popularity and how much he earned it with his production as well, it wasn’t a surprise to see that James was once again named an All-Star Game captain, leading the Western Conference in fan votes.
Of course, Charles Barkley wasn’t going to waste the chance to poke fun at one of the greatest players to ever lace them up — or whoever was named, for what it’s worth — when he was asked to announce the West captain:
“The captain. He’s 96 years old; he’s gonna become the all-time leading scorer soon: LeBron James!” Barkley jokingly said.
Chuck revealing @KingJames as a #NBAAllStar captain is comedy 🤣 pic.twitter.com/4cTzx9zVGs
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 27, 2023
Barkley has never minced his words when talking about, well, anything, and younger players aren’t always fond of his ways, so maybe James didn’t like that joke one bit.
Regardless, the fact that he’s doing what he does at 38 years old and his 20th season in the Association isn’t only historically remarkable and unmatched.
It’s also unlikely to be replicated.
James has earned a reputation for taking elite care of his body and spending millions on his health every year.
That kind of commitment after already winning four NBA Championships, Olympic gold medals, multiple MVPs, and virtually every possible accolade in basketball history is something worthy of praise.
Once he passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leading scorer, what could ever motivate him to keep going?
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