He's not rocking that "King James" vibe we're all accustomed to. Right now, he seems more like the court jester than the basketball royalty.
Lots of folks believe his prime days are in the rearview mirror, and his fans are genuinely concerned that he's lost his mojo. Frankly speaking, LeBron has never looked this down and out before. Something's definitely going on, don't you think?
From Western Journal:
It’s no secret that Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James wants to play in the NBA one day with his eldest son, LeBron “Bronny” James Jr., who will be eligible for the NBA draft next year.
Given the 38-year-old’s remarkable longevity, most NBA fans just assumed that a James and James pairing would be an inevitability.
But after the Lakers lost 108-103 to the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals? Many fans saw a different kind of inevitability — the fact that, eventually, time and age catch up to every professional athlete.
For James Sr., that inevitability was on display for all to see Thursday night.
Remember, for all of the criticisms often hurled at James, it’s undeniable that he’s an athletic marvel. People that big (6-foot-9, 250 pounds) generally don’t move that fast or jump that high. Even as a teenage rookie in 2003, James was throwing down thunderous dunks against stiff NBA competition with ease.
Fast forward 20 years and it’s evident that all of that ease is gone.
In the second quarter of Thursday’s game, here is James blowing a wide-open dunk:
He then made one of the biggest rookies moves you’ll ever see:
LeBron makes a great steal but Gordon makes him miss the layup! pic.twitter.com/gtguBoKURj
— hoops bot (@hoops_bot) May 19, 2023
Mr. Butter Fingers also turned the ball over:
— follow @dubs408 (@somedubvids) May 19, 2023
And lately, he can’t hit the broad side of a barn.
LeBron James has missed 19 straight threes in the fourth quarter this postseason. pic.twitter.com/olPhiPsSqH
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 19, 2023
What's the deal?
Is it his age or simply a few rough nights?
No doubt, LeBron is an incredible athlete, even if he gets overly political and complains quite a bit. It's a bummer to witness a truly gifted athlete like him struggle towards the end of his career. It's definitely more satisfying to go out on a high note.
