LeBron James has long since become an anomaly in the NBA landscape. At an age when most basketball players have already retired, the American star continues to take the court, put up impressive numbers and remain a central player on a team that wants to contend for the championship.
But not everyone is convinced that King James is truly beating time. Charles Barkley, an NBA legend himself, argued that, despite James’ impressive individual ability, it is impossible to ignore the results of his teams in recent years. His comments come after a summer in which LeBron once again became one of the most sought-after names on the market and ultimately moved to Philadelphia.
LeBron James will enter his 24th season in the NBA at the age of 42
(Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images North America/ AFP)
“We have to be honest about LeBron. He’s been swept in the playoffs the last two years. So just because you’re putting up good numbers, that doesn’t mean you’re effective,” Barkley said on Bill Simmons’ sports podcast.
“Yes, he’s putting up good numbers,” he said. “To me, it’s a lot easier to get numbers today. And don’t get me wrong, LeBron is playing well, but to say he’s beating Father Time... that’s not it.”
In the most recent playoffs, James averaged 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds per game. But the Lakers were ultimately eliminated in the second round by the young Oklahoma City Thunder in a sweep.
During the regular season with the Los Angeles Lakers, he posted similarly strong numbers: 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game.
“People are saying he increases the Sixers’ chances of winning a title, but I don’t believe that,” Barkley concluded.