LeBron James speaks out on his health: ‘I’m never going to be healthy again’

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James turned 36 years of age in late December, but in assessing the reality of aging, he acknowledged that he doesn’t expect to be healthy again.

Of course, James’ depiction of his health is seemingly more ominous than what basketball fans continue to see when he takes the court for the Lakers.

In his 18th NBA season, James is still delivering consistent numbers across the board, with averages of 25.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Any player would be envious of those numbers, which have come with James playing all but one of the Lakers’ games this season.

That ability to maintain his excellence has come through countless hours of training and continued dedication to perfecting his abilities on the court.

Entering the Lakers’ Friday night return from the All-Star break, James has played in 1,301 regular-season and 260 postseason games. The latter number is the equivalent of playing a little more than three additional seasons.

That monstrous amount of games can wear down bodies, with James also having had a shortened offseason due to the Lakers capturing the 2020 NBA title in October.

At some point, James will decide to retire and while he may never again be at 100 percent, it’s clear that even a suboptimal is someone who will help the Lakers.