Four-Time NBA Champion Opts in with the Lakers
Lebron James has arguably been the face of the NBA since he was drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA Draft. He was only 18 years old at the time and has played in the league for 22 seasons. Now, it seems that he has signed his last contract extension, as it has been reported that James has opted into his player option and will continue to wear the purple and gold for one more season. James averaged 24 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists for the Lakers last season. King James, along with Luka Doncic, a shocking trade acquisition, led the Lakers to the playoffs in JJ Redick’s first season coaching the team. However, they were bounced out of the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games. James reportedly was dealing with a grade two MCL strain in that first-round matchup. The Lakers will look to bounce back next season by improving their roster and building more around Doncic, while taking some of the pressure off of the six-foot-nine forward.
As James prepares to enter his 23rd season, his resume as one of the all-time greats has already been written. After playing his first seven seasons for the Cavaliers and taking them to the NBA Finals in 2007, James left the Cavaliers for the Heat in 2010. In his five seasons with the Heat, Lebron James became a two-time NBA Champion and two-time Finals MVP as a part of the Big Three in Miami. After the success in Miami, the Chosen One rejoined the Cavs in the summer of 2014 with the goal to deliver a championship for the city. He delivered on that promise in 2016, knocking off the 73-win Golden State Warriors and coming back from a 3-1 series deficit in one of the most improbable comebacks in NBA Playoff history. James played a total of four seasons in Cleveland during his second stint with the Cavs before joining the Los Angeles Lakers during the free agency period in 2019. He won another championship with the Lakers in 2020 in the NBA Bubble. Now, heading into his seventh season with the Lakers, James looks to make the playoffs again and capture his fifth NBA Championship.
Other accolades that King James has accomplished throughout his career include the following: he is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and has won three gold medals for Team USA Basketball. The Chosen One is a four-time NBA MVP and has been selected for the NBA All-Star Game in 21 of his 22 seasons, and has been selected as an All-Star starter since 2005. James has won the MVP of the All-Star game three times. He has played in 287 career playoff games and is the NBA Playoffs leader in wins, games played, points, free throws, field goals, steals, and minutes played. Lebron James has won 41 career playoff games, an NBA record, and made the NBA Finals in eight consecutive years from 2011 to 2018.
He has also made an impact outside the game of basketball. James is a three-time Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year, TIME’s Athlete of the Year, and has won the NAACP Jackie Robinson Sports Award for his charity work. He founded the Lebron James Family Foundation in 2004 to positively affect the lives of children and young adults through education and educational initiatives. Lebron James is also very active in Hollywood as he is an executive producer and has gotten into acting. Through it all, Lebron James is one of the most recognizable athletes in the country and has had a profound influence in the basketball world and beyond.
