LeBron James has defied Father Time for an unprecedented 21 seasons and Year 22 looks set for the same.

The drop-off LeBron has had is so small that you only see it if you look back at his highlights during the Heatles days. Stat-wise, he’s coming off a season where he averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 assists and 8.5 rebounds. He made a record 20th All-Star appearance, was named to the All-NBA team and spent the summer playing for Team USA.

He wasn’t just part of the ride with America; he ran the car and earned the 2024 Olympics FIBA MVP award.

With so many years on his legs and spending the summer playing intense basketball instead of resting, how does LeBron feel entering training camp?

On Media Day, he made it clear that he’s excellent and has plenty left to give to the game and the Lakers.

Last summer, Austin Reaves struggled playing for Team USA and then transitioning into the NBA season. Instead of helping him hit the ground running, those games made him appear gassed.

Reaves, however, isn’t the physical marvel LeBron is. If Bron says he feels great, I’m included in believing him. He’s been right about his body his entire career and didn’t look gassed during the Olympics. Instead, he looked like the best player not just in the country but on the planet.

Who LeBron can be for the Lakers is not a question. The only concern is whether Father Time will ever catch LeBron James.

Science says it’s coming and is long overdue. Only Vince Carter has played in 22 seasons in the NBA and when he did, he averaged just five points a game.

James should easily surpass that and if he is in as good a shape as he says, the Lakers can depend on him once again as one of the best players on the roster, along with Anthony Davis.

It’s foolish to bet against the King at this point, so until we see otherwise, expect him to be the superstar player he is.