Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James had something to say on Instagram — once again — to those who claim his greatness is derived from his physical attributes rather than skill.
James clapped back in a similar fashion earlier in the month while addressing the same claim.
He posted his latest message after seeing some highlights of a 57-point performance he had against the Washington Wizards several years ago.
The 39-year-old has been a phenomenal athlete ever since he first stepped foot on an NBA court, but his athleticism is only a part of why he is one of the best offensive players in the history of the league.
For one, the Ohio native has long been one of the better players in the league at drawing fouls. Getting to the line is a surefire way to get easy points for many players, and James has made 5.6 shots from the charity stripe per game for his career.
In addition, James has refined his perimeter shot as he’s aged. While he might not be remembered as a lethal 3-point shooter once he retires, he has had some seasons as a legitimately effective spacer thanks to his outside shot.
In each of his final two seasons with the Miami Heat, he converted an impressive portion of his 3-point attempts. He shot 40.6 percent from deep in the 2012-13 season and 37.9 percent from deep in the 2013-14 campaign.
Plus, in the 2023-24 season, James shot the ball from 3-point range as well as he ever has in the league. He buried 41.0 percent of his looks from deep while attempting 5.1 triples per contest in his sixth season with the Lakers.
Meanwhile, James’ basketball IQ and vision have made him a gifted passer. Despite the fact that he has spent much of his time in the NBA as a forward, he has averaged 7.4 assists per game for his career and even led the league in assists per game during the 2019-20 season, when he dished out 10.2.
All in all, the argument that James isn’t a skilled basketball player might not have a very strong leg to stand on when one dives into the numbers behind his greatness.
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