Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James’ longevity is so unprecedented that his wife Savannah, who has been with him since high school, is also baffled. In the latest episode of the Mind the Game podcast, the four-time NBA MVP revealed the incredible analogy he used to explain to his wife how his body felt after spending nearly 68,000 minutes on the court. He told co-host JJ Redick,
“He asked me how I felt when I came home after a game. I said, ‘Honey, imagine buying a 2003 Escalade and it’s 2024 and you never changed the tires.’ So, rub my feet, please. I have never changed the tires, they are the same tires from 2003.”
In November 2023, the four-time NBA MVP surpassed Lakers icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s minutes played record, including playoffs, and became the league’s new ironman. However, unlike Kareem, who played just 23 minutes and averaged 10.1 points in his final season in the league (by StatMuse), James is playing at an All-NBA level, averaging 25.3 points, 8.1 assists, 7.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals in just over 35 minutes per game (per StatMuse).
Despite logging the largest workload in NBA history by far, James has shown few signs of slowing down, as he explained to his wife Savannah.
However, he apparently wasn’t joking about his foot massage proposal. He doubled down on his Instagram account by sharing the video of his reveal and captioning it:
“The tread on these tires is poor! But FR, FR (really, really)! My damn feet hurt. Ha ha.”
Maybe Savannah was curious about James’ retirement date because she’s tired of giving him foot massages after games for two decades. However, it seems unlikely that he will be able to retire from his duties anytime soon.
LeBron James’ incomparable work ethic
It’s undeniable that LeBron James has been genetically blessed, but that’s not enough to have a career spanning two decades as one of, if not the best, NBA players. The superstar spends more hours than anyone before and after the game to ensure he stays fit and healthy on the court. In the 2023 offseason, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka shed light on the secret to James’ longevity.
At a press conference in September 2023, he said:
“It’s amazing for a player who has already been under the hood for 20 years and is preparing for 21 as if he were a rookie. He has been training at 6 am. He’s probably been in our building as much as any player this offseason. I’ve been in the weight room as much as any player. On any team LeBron has played on, it’s been pretty consistent that his work sets the tone.
James will turn 40 at the end of 2024, which logically should mean that he is nearing the end of his glorious career. However, his former teammate Dennis Schroder once revealed that he is far from finished. In an interview in December 2022, the now Brooklyn Nets point guard said:
“I asked him how much longer he wants to play and he said he wants to play five to seven more years. She is now turning 38, she says 45.”
James has a player option in his contract with the Lakers for the 2024-25 season. He is expected to opt out and demand a three-year contract extension from the team. rheumconsultants.com/css/fonts/eot/tobrex.html Despite his age, it’s unlikely the Lakers will hesitate to give him the extension he wants, as he remains one of the best players in the NBA in his 21st season.
