LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is once again in the Western Conference Finals after 20 years of playing in the league.
Achieving that sort of feat is astonishing.
On Monday morning, James’ achievement was made even more impressive when Carmelo Anthony officially stepped down from the NBA.
As pointed out by NBA World, that means that James is the only player from the 2003 draft class who hasn’t retired.
The only player from the 2003 draft class who hasn’t retired. pic.twitter.com/q8f5i71Dmg
— NBA World (@NBAW0RLD24) May 22, 2023
As everyone knows, James was the top pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.
Other notable names from that draft include Anthony (the number three pick), Chris Bosh (number four), Dwyane Wade (number five), and Kendrick Perkins (number 27).
All of those other players have hung up their jerseys, although they have each earned a spot in NBA history.
James, meanwhile, is still one of the most consequential players in the league.
However, this latest postseason has perhaps shown James’ age more than any other.
He has been a bit slower, hasn’t produced as many points, and has also made a few mistakes that aren’t typical of him, especially from the three-point line.
Some are wondering if Father Time has finally caught up with James.
Even if he isn’t playing as he used to, James is still a wildly powerful player at 38 years old.
It is truly impressive to see someone do so much at his age, even if his output is becoming more limited.
With the retirement of Anthony, even more attention is being paid to James and his lengthy time in the league.
How many more seasons will we get with this top pick from the class of 2003?
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