LeBron James is feeling his age.
The 41-year-old basketball star joined the NBA in 2003 after being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, and joined his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers, in July 2018 at the age of 33.
After James scored 30 points in the Lakers' win against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday (18.03.26), he told reporters: "Look at me right now. Right now, I feel like s***, but in the game I felt pretty good."
The sportsman - who slammed dunked six times in the clash - admitted he "didn't feel that great" before the tip-off in Houston.
James - who is playing in his 23rd NBA season - added: "I was yawning and tired and telling myself, I was literally talking to myself like, 'Come on, here we go. Let's figure it out. Let's get through it.'"
Despite not feeling at the top of his game, the dad-of-three was still determined to do his best.
James - who has sons Bronny, 21, and Bryce, 18, as well as daughter Zhuri, 11, with his 39-year-old wife, businesswoman Savannah James - was asked where he found his energy from for the match against the Houston Rockets.
He replied: "I mean, if I'm in uniform, I gotta try to see what I can give, so that's where it stemmed from."
James added: "It's pretty cool to still be able to play at this level, you know, at this juncture in my career."
Lakers head coach JJ Redick, 41, lauded James for "the preparation that he puts into his body over and over and over", which Redick dubbed: "The ultimate sign of competitive stamina."
On July 12, 2023, James shut down speculation that he was ready to retire in his acceptance speech for the Best Record-Breaking Performance award - in recognition of the 2022/23 basketball season, during which he broke the NBA's all-time scoring record - at the ESPYs.
He said: "When the season ended, I said I wasn't sure if I was gonna keep playing.
"I'm here now, speaking for myself.
"In that moment, [I was] asking myself if I can still play without cheating the game. Can I give everything to the game still?
"The truth is, I've been asking myself this question at the end of the season for a couple years now, I just never openly talked about it.
"The real question for me is, 'Can I play without cheating the game?' The day I can't give the game everything on the floor is the day I'll be done.
"Luckily for you guys, today is not that day."
To cheers from the crowd, he then said: "I still got something left. A lot left! I love you all and thank you so much for watching this journey thus far."
