It’s wild to think that LeBron James is going to turn 37 years old next season, and he’s still among the most impactful players in the league.
He led the Lakers to an NBA title in the 2020 Orlando bubble. And while the Lakers struggled last season largely due to injuries, LeBron still had a year that was statistically on par with his second stint in Cleveland.
He remains very good — like, one of the best in the league. But according to some NBA execs and scouts, LeBron is no longer *the* best.
ESPN published a survey this week that polled 10 anonymous execs and scouts. The best player in the NBA was among the topics, and the poll was split 5-5 between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant. LeBron received no votes. Via ESPN:
The only other name even mentioned by those polled was James, though he ultimately didn’t receive any votes. It was clear all three stars were on a level unto themselves at this point.
Well, LeBron wasn’t too happy with the honorable mention. He took to Twitter on Thursday to emphatically say thanks for giving him some added motivation.
THANK YOU! As if I didn’t need more to⛽️ ME! #Washed👑
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 19, 2021
LeBron had a similar reaction to the jokes about the aging Lakers roster. So, yeah, this is becoming a recurring theme for LeBron this offseason.
Despite not getting a best player vote, LeBron and the Lakers were picked to reach the NBA Finals in that same survey. They weren’t completely discounting James there.
