Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar LeBron James has been around the NBA since 2003 and has seen first-hand how much the association has evolved from the moment he first stepped onto the court.
With an ever-changing game, James recently noted on the Mind The Game podcast with Hall of Famer Steve Nash that he understands frustration from fans about the different look of the league over the years, but hears and empathizes with their concerns.
“Fans, I want you guys to know,” said the all-time scoring leader, “that we’re listening. We hear you guys. We’re listening. We always want to make sure that the game of basketball is viewed from y’all point of view and y’all love the product.
“We’re always trying to figure out a way to get better, but the game changes. The conversation on, ‘you know I wish the game was like this,’ that’s too far to even be thinking about those types of things. It’s impossible, everything changes.”
From when James was a rookie to present day, the style and pacing of basketball has drastically shifted. The four-time MVP came into the league towards the end of the traditional, back-to-the-basket center era and now plays in a league where seven-footers are expected to have a consistent jump shot versus ‘old-school’ post moves.
Scoring has skyrocketed over the years, the three-point shot is now an integral part of many team’s offensive schemes, and fouls have steadily decreased over the last four decades.
The only constant in the NBA seems to be the evolution of the game. Skills in players that were once seen as necessary for franchise cornerstones have seemingly evaporated.
As James watches the rest of the playoffs from home, after his Lakers were eliminated in the first round, it also hints at a new chapter that the NBA is trending towards. Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards, at just 23 years old, was the one to take down L.A.
That is not to say that James isn’t still dominating the league, as he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds a game at 40 years old, but the torch appears to be on it’s way to another generation, whenever that day may be.
