WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.720 Welcome to the Deep Dive. We tackle these huge, 00:00:02.740 --> 00:00:05.379 sprawling topics and try to boil them down to 00:00:05.379 --> 00:00:07.740 what you really need to know. And today, wow, 00:00:07.940 --> 00:00:09.759 it's a big one. Yeah, today we're looking at 00:00:09.759 --> 00:00:11.740 someone who isn't just an athlete. He's really 00:00:11.740 --> 00:00:15.980 defined an entire era of basketball. LeBron, 00:00:16.100 --> 00:00:18.480 Ramon, James Cernier. It's a huge undertaking, 00:00:18.739 --> 00:00:21.519 synthesizing his career. I mean, when you look 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:23.399 at LeBron, you're not just counting points or 00:00:23.399 --> 00:00:26.000 rings. You're really mapping out the modern NBA 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:29.109 for, what, the last... 20 plus years. Exactly. 00:00:29.149 --> 00:00:31.710 His whole body of work, the stats. Yeah. But 00:00:31.710 --> 00:00:33.810 also the team moves, the strategy behind it all. 00:00:33.869 --> 00:00:37.649 Plus his massive off court presence as a media 00:00:37.649 --> 00:00:41.350 figure, an activist. It's enormous. It really 00:00:41.350 --> 00:00:43.850 needs a deep dive like this. Absolutely. So our 00:00:43.850 --> 00:00:45.869 mission today is to kind of synthesize all that 00:00:45.869 --> 00:00:48.189 his incredible longevity, his influence, to give 00:00:48.189 --> 00:00:50.329 you a full picture of why people call him King 00:00:50.329 --> 00:00:53.170 James. And unprecedented really feels like the 00:00:53.170 --> 00:00:55.369 only word. It really is. Currently the NBA's 00:00:55.369 --> 00:00:57.770 all -time leading scorer. He's the oldest active 00:00:57.770 --> 00:01:00.409 player. And this is wild. He's tied for the most 00:01:00.409 --> 00:01:02.609 seasons ever played in the league, 21 seasons. 00:01:02.909 --> 00:01:05.430 And that longevity, it translates directly into 00:01:05.430 --> 00:01:08.319 these records that are just... Mind -boggling. 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:10.959 It implies a level of physical upkeep, maybe 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:13.420 sacrifice, that the league just hasn't seen before. 00:01:13.620 --> 00:01:16.519 Like what? He holds the record for the most minutes 00:01:16.519 --> 00:01:19.400 played ever. That's regular season and playoffs 00:01:19.400 --> 00:01:21.120 combined. Just think about that for a second. 00:01:21.180 --> 00:01:24.620 More time in actual high -intensity NBA games 00:01:24.620 --> 00:01:29.200 than anyone. Ever. The wear and tear. It's hard 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:30.739 to even imagine. And the accolades just keep 00:01:30.739 --> 00:01:33.780 coming. A record 21 all -star selections, 21 00:01:33.780 --> 00:01:36.640 all -NBA selections, including, what is it, 13 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:39.420 first -team nods. That's also a record. But the 00:01:39.420 --> 00:01:42.359 real marker of that sustained dominance for many 00:01:42.359 --> 00:01:45.739 people is the championships. Four titles in 10 00:01:45.739 --> 00:01:48.709 finals appearances. which is incredible in itself. 00:01:48.969 --> 00:01:50.989 And don't forget that run of eight consecutive 00:01:50.989 --> 00:01:53.989 finals appearances between 2011 and 2018. That 00:01:53.989 --> 00:01:56.430 stretch basically was the story of the NBA for 00:01:56.430 --> 00:01:58.969 almost a decade. Right. So, OK, let's dig in. 00:01:58.989 --> 00:02:01.189 Where do we start with the story this big? You 00:02:01.189 --> 00:02:03.230 have to start at the beginning. Foundation. Akron, 00:02:03.269 --> 00:02:06.390 Ohio. Understanding the environment that forged 00:02:06.390 --> 00:02:08.810 him, the early struggles, but also the stability 00:02:08.810 --> 00:02:12.849 he eventually found. OK, so born in Akron, 1984. 00:02:13.990 --> 00:02:17.310 And his early life, it was really marked by instability. 00:02:17.490 --> 00:02:20.909 His mom, Gloria, was just 16 when he was born. 00:02:21.050 --> 00:02:23.349 They moved around constantly, apparently through 00:02:23.349 --> 00:02:25.770 some pretty rough neighborhoods, while she was 00:02:25.770 --> 00:02:29.030 trying to find consistent work. And his biological 00:02:29.030 --> 00:02:30.969 father wasn't really in the picture, had his 00:02:30.969 --> 00:02:34.729 own issues. That instability is, it's crucial 00:02:34.729 --> 00:02:38.449 context for understanding his drive later on. 00:02:38.509 --> 00:02:41.909 It wasn't like a smooth path. No. The big turning 00:02:41.909 --> 00:02:44.449 point, it seems, was when Gloria realized he 00:02:44.449 --> 00:02:46.430 needed a more stable home environment. Right. 00:02:46.490 --> 00:02:48.129 She let him move in with the family of Frank 00:02:48.129 --> 00:02:50.409 Walker, who is a local youth football coach. 00:02:50.490 --> 00:02:52.770 Exactly. And Frank Walker's family, they essentially 00:02:52.770 --> 00:02:55.129 provided that stability, that structure. And 00:02:55.129 --> 00:02:57.430 it was Frank who actually introduced LeBron to 00:02:57.430 --> 00:02:59.770 basketball when he was nine years old. And once 00:02:59.770 --> 00:03:01.669 he found that focus, I mean, things happened 00:03:01.669 --> 00:03:03.949 fast. Oh, immediately. The high school hype at 00:03:03.949 --> 00:03:06.250 St. Vincent St. Mary. It became this national 00:03:06.250 --> 00:03:08.189 thing almost overnight. He was a six foot two 00:03:08.189 --> 00:03:15.939 freshman already averaging 18 points. And the 00:03:15.939 --> 00:03:18.419 ticket demand for his high school games was just 00:03:18.419 --> 00:03:21.680 unheard of. Seriously, they had to move some 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:23.639 of their home games to the University of Akron's 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:26.099 arena. Rhodes Arena, yeah. Seats over 5 ,000 00:03:26.099 --> 00:03:28.819 people. For a high school game. Just to fit in 00:03:28.819 --> 00:03:32.039 the fans, the media, the alumni, and, crucially, 00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:35.080 all the college and NBA scouts who were already 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:36.979 tracking his every move. It showed this wasn't 00:03:36.979 --> 00:03:39.060 just talent anymore. It was already becoming... 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:42.240 something bigger, a brand almost. Totally. And 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:44.539 the awards piled up. National Player of the Year 00:03:44.539 --> 00:03:47.520 twice, Ohio Worcestershire basketball three times. 00:03:47.719 --> 00:03:50.340 But let's not forget, he was an incredible athlete 00:03:50.340 --> 00:03:52.840 all around. People often overlook the football 00:03:52.840 --> 00:03:55.180 career he almost had. That's a great point. He 00:03:55.180 --> 00:03:57.199 played wide receiver, was apparently really good, 00:03:57.340 --> 00:03:59.759 got recruited by big Division I programs, even 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:03.110 Notre Dame. Wow, Notre Dame. Yeah. But he stopped 00:04:03.110 --> 00:04:05.150 playing football after breaking his wrist in 00:04:05.150 --> 00:04:07.650 an AAU basketball game. So kind of ironic, right? 00:04:07.710 --> 00:04:09.469 That injury might have pushed all his focus onto 00:04:09.469 --> 00:04:12.469 basketball. And then 2003, the draft, no surprise, 00:04:12.789 --> 00:04:15.129 first overall pick. To his hometown team, the 00:04:15.129 --> 00:04:18.129 Cleveland Cavaliers, which felt like destiny 00:04:18.129 --> 00:04:20.730 at the time. And he picked number 23, right? 00:04:21.149 --> 00:04:23.910 For Jordan. Pretty clear statement of intent. 00:04:24.189 --> 00:04:26.389 Absolutely. And he lived up to the hype immediately. 00:04:26.509 --> 00:04:29.509 His first NBA game, he set a record for points 00:04:29.509 --> 00:04:32.899 by a prep -to -pro player 25 points. But it wasn't 00:04:32.899 --> 00:04:35.379 just the scoring, was it? No, not at all. His 00:04:35.379 --> 00:04:37.620 rookie season stats showed the all -around game 00:04:37.620 --> 00:04:40.660 was already there. He became only the third player 00:04:40.660 --> 00:04:43.800 ever after Oscar Robertson and MJ to average 00:04:43.800 --> 00:04:46.399 at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:48.800 as a rookie. That's like the triple threat benchmark 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:51.839 for versatility. Exactly. It proved he wasn't 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:54.339 just a scorer. He had the size, the scoring, 00:04:54.420 --> 00:04:56.300 and the elite passing vision. One rookie of the 00:04:56.300 --> 00:04:59.139 year, obviously. So the foundation was set. Instantly 00:04:59.139 --> 00:05:01.819 one of the league's best players, capable of 00:05:01.819 --> 00:05:03.920 doing pretty much everything. Okay, so the stage 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:07.019 is set. Let's move into those defining NBA eras. 00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:09.680 Starting with that first run in Cleveland, 2003 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:13.000 to 2010. This is the rise of the superstar trying 00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:15.759 to carry a franchise. Yeah, and he started racking 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:18.060 up the individual awards pretty quickly. Won 00:05:18.060 --> 00:05:21.139 his first scoring title in 2008. But the moment 00:05:21.139 --> 00:05:23.120 from that era that everyone remembers, the one 00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:25.019 that really announced him as this unstoppable 00:05:25.019 --> 00:05:28.360 force, it has to be the 2007 Eastern Conference 00:05:28.360 --> 00:05:30.839 Finals against Detroit. Oh, yeah. Game five. 00:05:31.620 --> 00:05:34.439 That performance is legendary. You have to remember 00:05:34.439 --> 00:05:38.509 the context. Pivotal game. Tough. Veteran Pistons 00:05:38.509 --> 00:05:41.089 team known for defense. And he just took over. 00:05:41.250 --> 00:05:44.110 Completely. Scored 29 of Cleveland's last 30 00:05:44.110 --> 00:05:46.639 points. including 25 straight points by himself, 00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:48.939 then hits the game -winning layup in double overtime, 00:05:49.259 --> 00:05:50.959 people immediately started calling it Jordan 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:54.060 -esque. Just pure offensive willpower. And that 00:05:54.060 --> 00:05:57.060 kind of dominance led to back -to -back MVP awards 00:05:57.060 --> 00:06:00.220 in 2009 and 2010. But we also see the first real 00:06:00.220 --> 00:06:02.040 hints of public friction towards the end of that 00:06:02.040 --> 00:06:04.699 era. Right, that walk -off after losing the 2009 00:06:04.699 --> 00:06:07.589 conference finals to Orlando. Didn't shake hands. 00:06:07.769 --> 00:06:09.569 Yeah, rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. Poor 00:06:09.569 --> 00:06:11.629 sportsmanship, they said. And maybe kind of set 00:06:11.629 --> 00:06:13.350 the stage for the huge reaction to what came 00:06:13.350 --> 00:06:16.920 next. Which was, of course, the decision. Miami 00:06:16.920 --> 00:06:19.720 Heat era, 2010, probably the defining moment 00:06:19.720 --> 00:06:22.160 for player empowerment, but also kind of a PR 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:25.459 disaster. Oh, absolutely. The move itself, teaming 00:06:25.459 --> 00:06:27.740 up with Bosh and Wade, both top free agents, 00:06:27.899 --> 00:06:30.779 was already a shockwave. The first real modern 00:06:30.779 --> 00:06:33.040 super team constructed that way. But it was how 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:35.399 he announced it, that TV special. The decision, 00:06:35.579 --> 00:06:37.959 yeah. I mean, it raised millions for charity, 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:40.920 which is good, but the way it was done, the drawn 00:06:40.920 --> 00:06:44.160 -out process, the spectacle, the backlash was 00:06:44.160 --> 00:06:48.420 immediate. And pretty brutal. People felt it 00:06:48.420 --> 00:06:50.879 was unprofessional, maybe arrogant, just dragging 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:53.680 it out. And then the Cavs owner, Dan Gilbert, 00:06:53.980 --> 00:06:56.220 wrote that scathing open letter. Yeah, the Comic 00:06:56.220 --> 00:06:59.060 Sans letter. And fans burning his jersey. Those 00:06:59.060 --> 00:07:01.620 images went global instantly. And it wasn't just 00:07:01.620 --> 00:07:04.500 fans. Legends, guys like Jordan, Magic Johnson, 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:07.540 they criticized him too. Said a player like him 00:07:07.540 --> 00:07:09.420 shouldn't need to join up with other stars to 00:07:09.420 --> 00:07:11.939 win. So he immediately became the NBA's biggest 00:07:11.939 --> 00:07:14.500 villain. Pretty much overnight. He embraced it 00:07:14.500 --> 00:07:16.759 to some extent, though he later said he regretted 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:19.720 how the decision itself was handled. But the 00:07:19.720 --> 00:07:21.699 pressure was immense. They struggled early, didn't 00:07:21.699 --> 00:07:24.199 they? That first heat season. Yeah, started nine 00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:26.379 and eight. LeBron himself said all the media 00:07:26.379 --> 00:07:28.939 hate, the fan treatment. It made him play angrier. 00:07:29.060 --> 00:07:31.379 And then they lost the 2011 finals to Dallas. 00:07:31.620 --> 00:07:33.680 And he got a lot of heat for disappearing in 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:35.259 the fourth quarters of that series. He really 00:07:35.259 --> 00:07:38.639 did. It was a huge blow. But like great competitors 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:42.310 do, he used that failure. It fueled a really 00:07:42.310 --> 00:07:44.689 significant evolution in his game. This is where 00:07:44.689 --> 00:07:46.850 the Hakeem Olajuwon connection comes in, right? 00:07:46.850 --> 00:07:49.949 Exactly. That offseason, 2011, he went and worked 00:07:49.949 --> 00:07:52.870 with Hakeem, focused specifically on his post 00:07:52.870 --> 00:07:54.730 -up game. What did that involve? Learning the 00:07:54.730 --> 00:07:57.769 dream shake footwork, adding a reliable fadeaway 00:07:57.769 --> 00:08:00.790 jumper, hook shots, things he didn't really have 00:08:00.790 --> 00:08:03.269 before. It meant he could punish smaller defenders 00:08:03.269 --> 00:08:06.290 down low, forcing double teams. Which then opens 00:08:06.290 --> 00:08:09.139 up passing lanes for teammates. Precisely. Created 00:08:09.139 --> 00:08:11.459 those easy points you hear about. It turned him 00:08:11.459 --> 00:08:13.860 from just an incredible athlete who can drive 00:08:13.860 --> 00:08:16.740 into a much more complete three -level score. 00:08:16.980 --> 00:08:18.939 You couldn't just sag off him anymore. And the 00:08:18.939 --> 00:08:22.680 results were immediate. Pretty much. Two straight 00:08:22.680 --> 00:08:26.220 championships, two finals MVPs in 2012 and 2013. 00:08:26.699 --> 00:08:30.079 That 2012 -13 season was dominant. The 27 -game 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:33.039 winning streak. Third longest ever. And LeBron 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:35.200 won his fourth MVP award, almost unanimously. 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:38.070 Missed it by one single vote. He was playing 00:08:38.070 --> 00:08:40.049 with this incredible efficiency too, wasn't he? 00:08:40.149 --> 00:08:42.809 Yeah. Historically great levels is how analysts 00:08:42.809 --> 00:08:44.889 described it. Career high shooting percentages. 00:08:45.289 --> 00:08:49.090 The narrative shifted from villain to, well, 00:08:49.190 --> 00:08:51.690 maybe grudging respect. He clearly improved based 00:08:51.690 --> 00:08:54.059 on failure. But the quest for a three -peat fell 00:08:54.059 --> 00:08:57.740 short in 2014, lost to the Spurs. Yep. And the 00:08:57.740 --> 00:09:00.700 lingering image from that series is game one, 00:09:00.759 --> 00:09:03.059 where he cramped up badly in the fourth quarter. 00:09:03.220 --> 00:09:05.779 Spurs took the lead. Maybe that loss sort of 00:09:05.779 --> 00:09:07.379 closed that chapter for him. Which set up the 00:09:07.379 --> 00:09:10.360 next big narrative shift, the return to Cleveland 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:12.799 in 2014. And the contrast in the announcement 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:15.980 couldn't have been starker, right? No DV special 00:09:15.980 --> 00:09:18.580 this time. Just that essay in Sports Illustrated. 00:09:18.659 --> 00:09:21.139 Much better received. Felt more mature, like 00:09:21.139 --> 00:09:23.080 he was coming home to finish something. Redemption 00:09:23.080 --> 00:09:25.240 narrative, basically. And this era was all about 00:09:25.240 --> 00:09:27.100 delivering on that promise to Northeast Ohio. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:30.759 2015 finals, they get there, but Irving and Love 00:09:30.759 --> 00:09:33.220 get injured. Yeah, LeBron had to carry an insane 00:09:33.220 --> 00:09:35.419 load offensively. Averaged almost 36 points, 00:09:35.500 --> 00:09:38.120 13 rebounds, 9 assists. Just staggering numbers, 00:09:38.279 --> 00:09:40.200 even though they lost to the Warriors. But that 00:09:40.200 --> 00:09:43.620 set the stage for 2016. The magnum opus. Down 00:09:43.620 --> 00:09:46.870 3 -1 to the Warriors. The 73 -win Warriors team, 00:09:46.950 --> 00:09:49.529 arguably the best regular season team ever. No 00:09:49.529 --> 00:09:51.610 team had ever come back from 3 -1 down in the 00:09:51.610 --> 00:09:53.649 finals before. The pressure must have been unbelievable, 00:09:54.049 --> 00:09:57.529 and LeBron was just relentless. Back -to -back 00:09:57.529 --> 00:10:00.409 41 -point games in Games 5 and 6 to force a Game 00:10:00.409 --> 00:10:03.879 7. And then in Game 7, the defining moment. The 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:06.620 chase down block on Andre Iguodala. Let's talk 00:10:06.620 --> 00:10:08.919 about that block. Iguodala going for the go -ahead 00:10:08.919 --> 00:10:11.360 layup. Final minutes. The speed to get back, 00:10:11.460 --> 00:10:13.720 the timing, the height, pinning against the glass 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:17.039 without fouling. It's just peak athleticism and 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:19.279 defensive instinct in the absolute highest pressure 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:21.980 moment. Unreal. And he finished that series leading 00:10:21.980 --> 00:10:24.580 both teams in points, rebounds, assists, steals, 00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:27.019 and blocks. First player ever to do that in the 00:10:27.019 --> 00:10:30.080 finals. Unanimous finals MVP. It just shows how 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:32.200 completely he dominated every aspect of that 00:10:32.200 --> 00:10:34.679 series. But even after bringing the title home, 00:10:34.840 --> 00:10:37.360 that second Cleveland stint had its own drama. 00:10:37.539 --> 00:10:41.820 Right. 2017, Kyrie Irving requests a trade. Reportedly 00:10:41.820 --> 00:10:44.100 didn't want to play in LeBron's shadow anymore. 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:47.940 Wanted his own team. Still, LeBron kept producing 00:10:47.940 --> 00:10:51.440 heroics. Game winners against the Pacers, the 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:53.799 Raptors, that whole LeBron -o thing. Yeah, he 00:10:53.799 --> 00:10:56.710 dragged a much... Less talented Cavs team back 00:10:56.710 --> 00:11:00.210 to the finals again in 2018. Dropped 51 points 00:11:00.210 --> 00:11:02.230 in Game 1 against the Warriors, which they still 00:11:02.230 --> 00:11:04.029 lost. And then got swept. That was also when 00:11:04.029 --> 00:11:05.690 he hurt his hand punching a whiteboard after 00:11:05.690 --> 00:11:08.029 Game 1, right? Yeah, self -inflicted injury out 00:11:08.029 --> 00:11:11.149 of frustration. After that finals loss, he left 00:11:11.149 --> 00:11:13.990 Cleveland again, this time for L .A. The Lakers 00:11:13.990 --> 00:11:16.649 move in 2018. How is that framed? Differently 00:11:16.649 --> 00:11:19.450 again. His agent, Rich Paul, said something like, 00:11:19.490 --> 00:11:21.769 the first move was for rings, the second was 00:11:21.769 --> 00:11:23.909 for the promise. This one was just about LeBron 00:11:23.909 --> 00:11:25.990 doing what he wanted to do. Like prioritizing 00:11:25.990 --> 00:11:28.570 lifestyle, family, maybe the business and media 00:11:28.570 --> 00:11:31.470 side of things in a big market like L .A. Seems 00:11:31.470 --> 00:11:33.490 like it. More about personal fulfillment and 00:11:33.490 --> 00:11:35.190 setting up the next phase. So his first year 00:11:35.190 --> 00:11:38.149 there was tough, that groin injury. First major 00:11:38.149 --> 00:11:40.909 injury of his career, really. Missed a bunch 00:11:40.909 --> 00:11:42.690 of games and the Lakers missed the playoffs. 00:11:42.850 --> 00:11:44.710 First time he'd missed the postseason since way 00:11:44.710 --> 00:11:47.840 back in 2005. A little reminder of mortality, 00:11:48.179 --> 00:11:50.960 maybe. But redemption, again, came pretty fast. 00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:53.799 2020. Yeah, he fully leaned into the point guard 00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:56.299 role, led the league in assists for the first 00:11:56.299 --> 00:11:59.139 time ever. And then the bubble championship in 00:11:59.139 --> 00:12:02.039 that totally bizarre pandemic environment. Won 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:06.100 his fourth title, fourth finals MVP, and became 00:12:06.100 --> 00:12:08.919 the only player ever to win finals MVP with three 00:12:08.919 --> 00:12:12.039 different franchises. Cavs, Heat, Lakers. And 00:12:12.039 --> 00:12:14.799 since then, since that bubble title, it feels 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:17.279 like the narrative has shifted again. Less about 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.299 winning championships, maybe, and more about 00:12:19.299 --> 00:12:21.799 just rewriting the record books with longevity. 00:12:22.179 --> 00:12:24.080 Absolutely. He's hitting milestones constantly 00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:26.100 that nobody else has ever touched. It's become 00:12:26.100 --> 00:12:28.519 about statistical invertality. Like the 10K, 00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:31.559 10K, 10K club. Right, 2022. First player ever 00:12:31.559 --> 00:12:34.200 with at least 10 ,000 points, 10 ,000 rebounds, 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:36.419 and 10 ,000 assists. Which sounds like just big 00:12:36.419 --> 00:12:39.159 numbers, but it speaks to that incredible versatility 00:12:39.159 --> 00:12:41.740 over... two decades, doesn't it? Totally. You 00:12:41.740 --> 00:12:44.919 need elite scoring like a wing, elite rebounding 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:47.600 like a big man, and elite passing like a point 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:50.159 guard sustained for 20 years. And then, of course, 00:12:50.179 --> 00:12:52.840 the big one, passing Kareem Abdul -Jabbar in 00:12:52.840 --> 00:12:56.580 2023. All -time leading scorer. A record Kareem 00:12:56.580 --> 00:12:58.860 held since before LeBron was even born. That 00:12:58.860 --> 00:13:01.320 felt like... like reaching the summit of scoring 00:13:01.320 --> 00:13:03.679 mountains. He also won the first ever NBA Cup 00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:06.600 MVP in 2023, the in -season tournament thing. 00:13:06.740 --> 00:13:09.120 Still finding ways to add hardware. And the records 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:11.980 he's setting now at age 40 are just, frankly, 00:13:12.120 --> 00:13:14.840 absurd. Oldest player to score 40 plus in a game. 00:13:14.980 --> 00:13:17.240 Join Karl Malone as the only guys to get a triple 00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:19.360 -double at 40 or older. That streak is scoring 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:22.960 double digits, 867 straight games. First at 39 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:26.139 ,000 points, then 40 ,000. It's relentless accumulation. 00:13:26.940 --> 00:13:29.100 But maybe the most unique milestone, the one 00:13:29.100 --> 00:13:30.919 that feels really different, happened this past 00:13:30.919 --> 00:13:34.179 season, 2024 -25. Playing with his son. Yeah. 00:13:34.299 --> 00:13:36.299 Re -signed with the Lakers after they drafted 00:13:36.299 --> 00:13:38.639 Bronny James, first father -son duo to actually 00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:41.559 play in an NBA game together. That transition 00:13:41.559 --> 00:13:45.259 from King James as the dominant force to LeBron, 00:13:45.320 --> 00:13:47.860 the elder statesman, playing alongside his own 00:13:47.860 --> 00:13:50.519 son, that's a career arc we've literally never 00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:53.379 seen before. and might never see again. Okay, 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:55.559 so we've tracked the history, the teams, the 00:13:55.559 --> 00:13:57.659 records, but none of that happens without the 00:13:57.659 --> 00:14:00.259 player himself. Let's dig into the player profile, 00:14:00.519 --> 00:14:02.820 the physical machine, and the strategic mind 00:14:02.820 --> 00:14:05.679 behind it all. Right. The baseline is the physique, 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:09.679 6 '9", 250 pounds. Officially plays small forward 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:12.100 or power forward, but realistically, coaches 00:14:12.100 --> 00:14:14.679 have used him everywhere, one through five, depending 00:14:14.679 --> 00:14:17.179 on the matchup or need. His style always drew 00:14:17.179 --> 00:14:20.179 those comparisons to Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, 00:14:20.179 --> 00:14:22.419 big players who could handle the ball and create 00:14:22.419 --> 00:14:24.820 for others. Exactly. Let's talk offense first, 00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:27.379 how that evolved. Early LeBron, first Cleveland 00:14:27.379 --> 00:14:30.399 stint. He was that point forward. Meaning? Meaning 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:32.120 a forward who brings the ball up, initiates the 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:34.480 offense, runs the show like a point guard. And 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:36.840 back then, he was maybe the best slasher and 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:39.259 finisher in the game. Unstoppable going downhill. 00:14:39.419 --> 00:14:41.940 That combination of speed and power in transition 00:14:41.940 --> 00:14:44.000 was terrifying. He'd grab a rebound and just 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:47.539 be gone. Yeah. But, as we touched on, there was 00:14:47.539 --> 00:14:50.639 a clear weakness early on. The jump shot. And 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:53.580 the postgame. He didn't really have them. Critics 00:14:53.580 --> 00:14:56.659 hammered him for it. And coaches, like Popovich 00:14:56.659 --> 00:15:00.059 in the 07 Finals, exploited it. They'd sag off, 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:02.980 dare him to shoot long twos, and his percentages 00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:05.460 weren't great. Which forced the change in Miami. 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:08.500 The Hakeem work. Improve shot selection, develop 00:15:08.500 --> 00:15:10.960 that reliable fadeaway, learn the footwork in 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:13.139 the post. Suddenly, defenders couldn't just give 00:15:13.139 --> 00:15:15.860 him space. That unlocked that peak efficiency 00:15:15.860 --> 00:15:18.620 we saw. And beyond scoring, the playmaking, he's 00:15:18.620 --> 00:15:20.259 always been considered one of the best passers 00:15:20.259 --> 00:15:22.950 ever, right? Absolutely. Top tier. He uses his 00:15:22.950 --> 00:15:26.250 size and what coaches call LeBron gravity, the 00:15:26.250 --> 00:15:29.409 way defenses collapse on him, to find open teammates 00:15:29.409 --> 00:15:32.029 for easy looks. Those crazy passes, too, like 00:15:32.029 --> 00:15:33.889 passing after he's already left his feet. Yeah, 00:15:33.950 --> 00:15:35.909 his court vision is incredible. He sees plays 00:15:35.909 --> 00:15:38.289 develop before they happen. Though, early on, 00:15:38.309 --> 00:15:40.509 didn't people criticize him for overpassing sometimes, 00:15:40.870 --> 00:15:43.309 especially in clutch moments? That was definitely 00:15:43.309 --> 00:15:45.250 a narrative for a while. Passing up the last 00:15:45.250 --> 00:15:47.850 shot, fear of failure, some said. Did that change? 00:15:48.110 --> 00:15:51.179 I think the perception shifted, yeah. especially 00:15:51.179 --> 00:15:54.559 post -2011 and definitely after the 2016 finals. 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:57.299 He seemed to find a better balance, and people 00:15:57.299 --> 00:16:00.000 realize sometimes the clutch play is the right 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:02.460 pass when you draw that much attention. Okay, 00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:05.059 let's flip to defense. That also evolved significantly. 00:16:05.179 --> 00:16:07.860 Big time. Started his career actually seen as 00:16:07.860 --> 00:16:10.639 a pretty poor defender. Yeah. But he worked at 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:13.059 it, got steadily better. And the chase down block 00:16:13.059 --> 00:16:15.799 became his signature. Absolutely legendary. That 00:16:15.799 --> 00:16:18.600 recovery speed and timing. He had like 93 blocks 00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:21.600 one season early on. A crazy number for a wing. 00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:23.860 His defensive peak was probably in Miami. For 00:16:23.860 --> 00:16:26.320 sure. That's when he became truly versatile on 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:29.559 D. guarding all five positions, using that unique 00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:32.379 mix of size, strength, and quickness. He got 00:16:32.379 --> 00:16:34.559 all defensive first -team nods five years in 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:36.919 a row. GMs even voted him the best perimeter 00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:39.139 defender. But then age catches up eventually, 00:16:39.500 --> 00:16:42.139 second Cleveland stint, people started noticing. 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:45.500 Slippage. Yeah. Critics pointed out some defensive 00:16:45.500 --> 00:16:47.279 regression, maybe taking plays off, especially 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:49.500 after a turnover, or complaining to the refs. 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:51.990 He even called it chill mode himself. Which fans 00:16:51.990 --> 00:16:54.289 kind of excuse, right? Saying he had to conserve 00:16:54.289 --> 00:16:56.429 energy because he was carrying such a huge offensive 00:16:56.429 --> 00:16:59.070 load. That was the rationale, yeah. But sometimes 00:16:59.070 --> 00:17:02.529 it looked, well, like he wasn't fully engaged 00:17:02.529 --> 00:17:05.630 on that end. Which is tough because the expectation 00:17:05.630 --> 00:17:08.509 for the greats is always 100 % effort. But the 00:17:08.509 --> 00:17:10.769 consensus remained that he could still lock in 00:17:10.769 --> 00:17:14.910 when needed. Exactly. Playoff LeBron. Analysts 00:17:14.910 --> 00:17:17.089 always noted he could dramatically dial up the 00:17:17.089 --> 00:17:19.390 defensive intensity in the playoffs. He learned 00:17:19.390 --> 00:17:21.380 to manage his energy over the long haul. All 00:17:21.380 --> 00:17:23.420 right, let's broaden the scope beyond the NBA 00:17:23.420 --> 00:17:27.039 court. His national team career, his global influence, 00:17:27.259 --> 00:17:30.700 business, activism. It's a huge part of the story. 00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:33.700 It really is. Starting with Team USA, which actually 00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:36.000 began with a bit of a stumble. The 2004 Athens 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:38.720 Olympics, the bronze medal disappointment. Yeah, 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:40.279 LeBron was just a 19 -year -old rookie then, 00:17:40.380 --> 00:17:42.900 barely played. Team USA didn't win gold for the 00:17:42.900 --> 00:17:45.200 first time since NBA players started participating. 00:17:45.819 --> 00:17:48.240 He later called it a low light. Felt he wasn't 00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:50.299 given a fair chance. But that seemed to light 00:17:50.299 --> 00:17:53.400 a fire under him. Or under the management. Both, 00:17:53.400 --> 00:17:57.859 maybe. Reportedly, before the 2008 games, management 00:17:57.859 --> 00:18:01.339 Colangelo, Coach K basically told him he needed 00:18:01.339 --> 00:18:03.180 to step up his commitment and attitude. And he 00:18:03.180 --> 00:18:05.759 responded. Immediately. Had a monster game against 00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:08.700 Argentina in the qualifiers. Then the 2008 redeemed 00:18:08.700 --> 00:18:12.160 team in Beijing went undefeated, won gold. LeBron 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:15.259 was a key part. And by 2012 in London, he was 00:18:15.259 --> 00:18:17.710 the clear leader. Unquestionably. Running the 00:18:17.710 --> 00:18:20.430 offense, making defensive calls, scoring when 00:18:20.430 --> 00:18:22.630 needed. Got the first triple -double in U .S. 00:18:22.630 --> 00:18:24.710 Olympic history that year. And that 2012 gold 00:18:24.710 --> 00:18:26.470 put him in really rare company, right? Yeah. 00:18:26.470 --> 00:18:28.089 Joined Michael Jordan as the only players to 00:18:28.089 --> 00:18:31.829 win NBA MVP, the NBA title, finals MVP, and Olympic 00:18:31.829 --> 00:18:34.190 gold all in the same year. Just dominance across 00:18:34.190 --> 00:18:36.309 the board. And then fast forward all the way 00:18:36.309 --> 00:18:39.630 to 2024 in Paris, 39 years old. Still going. 00:18:40.140 --> 00:18:42.579 Team captain, co -flag bear, won another gold, 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:44.900 got the MVP award for the tournament, became 00:18:44.900 --> 00:18:46.599 the first player with two Olympic triple -doubles. 00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:48.660 Just sustained excellence on the global stage. 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:51.319 And that kind of sustained, high -profile success 00:18:51.319 --> 00:18:55.200 translates into, well, a massive business empire. 00:18:55.299 --> 00:18:57.259 First active NBA player to hit a billion dollars 00:18:57.259 --> 00:18:59.859 in earnings, which is incredible. His endorsement 00:18:59.859 --> 00:19:02.940 portfolio was huge, obviously. Started with that 00:19:02.940 --> 00:19:05.779 Nike deal right out of high school. $90 million 00:19:05.779 --> 00:19:08.740 before he played a single NBA game. Unheard of 00:19:08.740 --> 00:19:11.559 back then. But he's also been smart with investments, 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:15.039 not just endorsements, like the Beats Electronics 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:17.920 deal. Right. He got a small stake early on for 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:20.240 promoting them. And then when Apple bought Beats. 00:19:20.259 --> 00:19:24.839 He reportedly made over $30 million. Smart move. 00:19:25.619 --> 00:19:28.240 Leveraging his brand for actual equity. And his 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:29.720 investments are pretty diverse now, aren't they? 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:31.759 Outside of basketball. Very. He's been a part 00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:34.579 owner of Liverpool FC, the soccer club, since 00:19:34.579 --> 00:19:37.640 2011. Then he became a partner in Fenway Sports 00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:40.150 Group. Which means he owns pieces of the Boston 00:19:40.150 --> 00:19:42.430 Red Sox, the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team, 00:19:42.670 --> 00:19:45.990 even AC Milan in Italy. He's invested across 00:19:45.990 --> 00:19:48.049 different sports, different continents. Shows 00:19:48.049 --> 00:19:50.150 a really broad business vision. Yeah. And you 00:19:50.150 --> 00:19:52.089 got to appreciate the hustle sometimes, even 00:19:52.089 --> 00:19:53.890 when it doesn't quite work out. You mean Taco 00:19:53.890 --> 00:19:56.930 Tuesday. Yeah. Trying to trademark Taco Tuesday 00:19:56.930 --> 00:19:58.490 because he used it on his Instagram all the time. 00:19:58.589 --> 00:20:00.950 And the patent office basically said, nope, that's 00:20:00.950 --> 00:20:03.509 just a common phrase. Everyone says that. A rare 00:20:03.509 --> 00:20:06.269 swing and a miss. Proves you can't just own everything. 00:20:06.549 --> 00:20:08.849 But his media ventures have been huge successes. 00:20:09.549 --> 00:20:12.130 Spring Hill Company uninterrupted. That's been 00:20:12.130 --> 00:20:15.089 a game changer. Creating platforms for athletes 00:20:15.089 --> 00:20:17.529 to tell their own stories. It feels like a direct 00:20:17.529 --> 00:20:20.329 response to things like The Decision, where you 00:20:20.329 --> 00:20:22.990 felt the media narrative got away from him. Now 00:20:22.990 --> 00:20:25.109 he owns the platform. And he even co -hosted 00:20:25.109 --> 00:20:27.670 that podcast Mind the Game with J .J. Reddick. 00:20:27.809 --> 00:20:30.170 Really high level basketball talk showed he's 00:20:30.170 --> 00:20:32.309 serious about the content side, too. And then 00:20:32.309 --> 00:20:34.900 there's the philanthropy and activism. the LeBron 00:20:34.900 --> 00:20:37.740 James Family Foundation in Akron. That's huge. 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:40.640 The I Promise School, the housing complex, the 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:42.900 college scholarships for thousands of kids from 00:20:42.900 --> 00:20:45.599 Akron. The level of direct investment back into 00:20:45.599 --> 00:20:48.000 his hometown is really significant. He's also 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:50.160 been very public with political stances over 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:53.279 the years on Trayvon Martin, Donald Sterling, 00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:56.599 police brutality, using his platform. During 00:20:56.599 --> 00:20:59.539 the 2020 playoff boycott after Jacob Blake's 00:20:59.539 --> 00:21:01.460 shooting, didn't he speak with Barack Obama? 00:21:01.960 --> 00:21:04.440 Yeah, reports said Obama advised him and other 00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:06.519 players to keep playing, to use their platform 00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:08.859 in other ways alongside playing. But his public 00:21:08.859 --> 00:21:11.200 statements haven't always been universally praised, 00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:14.079 have they? Especially when business and politics 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:16.640 collide. Right. The China controversy in 2019 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:19.720 was a big one. When he commented on Daryl Morey's 00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:22.180 tweet supporting the Hong Kong protesters. He 00:21:22.180 --> 00:21:24.480 called Morey misinformed, right? Yeah, and got 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:27.839 slammed for it internationally. Accused of prioritizing 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:30.400 NBA business interests in China over human rights. 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:33.119 It really highlighted the difficult line global 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:35.619 athletes have to walk. Balancing the brand, the 00:21:35.619 --> 00:21:39.779 business, the activism. complex. Extremely. And 00:21:39.779 --> 00:21:42.180 even seemingly positive things, like magazine 00:21:42.180 --> 00:21:44.720 covers, could generate controversy for him. The 00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:48.059 Vogue cover in 2008, first black man on the cover. 00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:51.460 Which was historic. But critics, like Jim O 'Hill, 00:21:51.619 --> 00:21:54.940 pointed out the pose with Giselle Bundchen. They 00:21:54.940 --> 00:21:57.619 argued it echoed old racially charged King Kong 00:21:57.619 --> 00:22:00.259 imagery. Wow. It just shows the intense scrutiny 00:22:00.259 --> 00:22:02.880 he's always been under. Every move, every image 00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:05.480 analyzed through multiple lenses. No wonder he 00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:07.799 wanted to control his own media narrative. Exactly. 00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:10.880 Despite all that, Time magazine has named him 00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:13.500 one of their 100 most influential people four 00:22:13.500 --> 00:22:16.039 times. Yeah. More than any other pro athlete. 00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:19.119 Okay, final section. Let's talk legacy, player 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:22.200 empowerment, and the never -ending Joe -8 debate. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:25.940 How did he change the league itself? Fundamentally. 00:22:26.099 --> 00:22:29.720 His move to Miami in 2010 wasn't just about his 00:22:29.720 --> 00:22:32.240 career. It really kicked off a whole decade of 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:34.140 player movement. The Washington Post said he 00:22:34.140 --> 00:22:36.700 flipped the power balance between stars and their 00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:39.799 organizations. That sums it up well. He made 00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:43.119 it okay, even strategically smart, for superstars 00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:45.460 to take control of their own destiny. Team up 00:22:45.460 --> 00:22:47.559 where they wanted to win. And other players recognize 00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:50.059 that, right? Yeah. Guys like Draymond Green have 00:22:50.059 --> 00:22:52.680 credited LeBron for opening that door, giving 00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:55.599 athletes more control, called maybe his biggest 00:22:55.599 --> 00:22:58.160 accomplishment. His moves definitely fueled the 00:22:58.160 --> 00:22:59.980 whole super team era we're still kind of in. 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:02.660 Which inevitably leads us to the comparison, 00:23:02.940 --> 00:23:05.660 Jordan. Always. The GOAT debate. LeBron's consistently 00:23:05.660 --> 00:23:08.220 ranked number one or two all time. But the main 00:23:08.220 --> 00:23:10.500 argument against him, especially from older fans, 00:23:10.660 --> 00:23:14.019 is always Jordan's finals record. 6 -0 for Jordan 00:23:14.019 --> 00:23:17.440 versus 4 -6 for LeBron. That unblemished record 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:19.440 carries a lot of weight in the basketball world, 00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:22.759 which can be very ring -obsessed. It does. But 00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:25.200 is that comparison always fair? You could argue 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:27.579 Jordan never faced a juggernaut quite like that 00:23:27.579 --> 00:23:30.180 73 -win Warriors team in the finals. Or had to 00:23:30.180 --> 00:23:32.480 carry teams as limited as some of LeBron's early 00:23:32.480 --> 00:23:35.240 Cavs teams just to get to the finals. LeBron's 00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:37.859 losses often came against dynasty -level opponents. 00:23:38.059 --> 00:23:39.950 It's all context, isn't it? And it's interesting 00:23:39.950 --> 00:23:42.829 how polls on this often break down by age. Older 00:23:42.829 --> 00:23:46.450 fans lean Jordan, younger fans lean LeBron. Generally, 00:23:46.529 --> 00:23:49.769 yeah. Older fans remember Jordan's peak dominance, 00:23:50.029 --> 00:23:53.500 the perfect finals record. Younger fans, maybe 00:23:53.500 --> 00:23:56.420 more engaged with the current NBA, seem to value 00:23:56.420 --> 00:23:59.400 LeBron's overall statistical production, his 00:23:59.400 --> 00:24:01.619 longevity, the versatility across his entire 00:24:01.619 --> 00:24:04.059 career. Recency bias plays a part, too, probably. 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:06.200 LeBron's still playing. For sure. And the debate 00:24:06.200 --> 00:24:08.500 gets so intense it even spawned that satirical 00:24:08.500 --> 00:24:10.799 term, bronze sexuals, for his most over -the 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:13.519 -top fans. Shows how polarizing it is. LeBron 00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:15.819 himself said years ago his motivation was surpassing 00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:17.859 Jordan. Has he done it? That's always going to 00:24:17.859 --> 00:24:20.599 be subjective, isn't it? Peak perfection versus 00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:24.400 career -long breadth and impact. But what's undeniable 00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:28.119 is that LeBron's statistical case, combined with 00:24:28.119 --> 00:24:30.960 how he changed player agency, makes him Jordan's 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:33.380 most significant challenger ever. There's no 00:24:33.380 --> 00:24:35.980 debate about that. So wrapping this up, we've 00:24:35.980 --> 00:24:38.039 looked at a career that's really defined by this 00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:41.880 duality. Just unprecedented statistical dominance 00:24:41.880 --> 00:24:44.829 on the court. Combined with this profound, sometimes 00:24:44.829 --> 00:24:48.190 controversial reshaping of how players operate 00:24:48.190 --> 00:24:51.450 off the court, in business, in media, he's more 00:24:51.450 --> 00:24:53.529 than just a player. A sustained cultural phenomenon, 00:24:53.750 --> 00:24:56.569 truly. Which leads us nicely into our final thought 00:24:56.569 --> 00:24:58.369 for you, the listener. Okay, let's hear it. We've 00:24:58.369 --> 00:25:00.170 talked a lot about his longevity, playing with 00:25:00.170 --> 00:25:03.490 his son, setting records at 40, maintaining this 00:25:03.490 --> 00:25:05.769 peak condition. And it's often linked to reports 00:25:05.769 --> 00:25:07.450 that he spends something like, what, up to $1 00:25:07.450 --> 00:25:10.630 .5 million a year just on his body. Yeah, on 00:25:10.630 --> 00:25:13.369 personal chefs. Trainers, cryotherapy, all that 00:25:13.369 --> 00:25:14.990 cutting -edge recovery stuff, though he apparently 00:25:14.990 --> 00:25:17.690 denied knowing that specific number later. Right. 00:25:17.789 --> 00:25:20.710 But regardless of the exact dollar amount, the 00:25:20.710 --> 00:25:23.410 investment is clearly massive. It's a huge dedication 00:25:23.410 --> 00:25:27.750 of resources, money, time, focused not just on 00:25:27.750 --> 00:25:30.529 training but on maintenance and recovery. Okay. 00:25:30.589 --> 00:25:33.470 Oh. So if this is what it takes to perform at 00:25:33.470 --> 00:25:36.309 an elite level well into your late 30s, even 00:25:36.309 --> 00:25:39.890 40, what's the true cost of sustaining a career 00:25:39.890 --> 00:25:43.490 like this? financially, obviously, but also physically, 00:25:43.730 --> 00:25:45.950 strategically. You mean, is this level of investment 00:25:45.950 --> 00:25:48.829 becoming the new baseline requirement for extreme 00:25:48.829 --> 00:25:51.710 longevity in the NBA? Could. Yeah. If the blueprint 00:25:51.710 --> 00:25:54.089 for playing at 40 requires multi -million dollar 00:25:54.089 --> 00:25:56.329 annual spending on your body, what does that 00:25:56.329 --> 00:25:58.430 imply for other elite athletes? Does it create 00:25:58.430 --> 00:26:01.069 a sort of financial barrier to sustained greatness? 00:26:01.410 --> 00:26:03.809 Yes. Is this the future? Wow. That's a heavy 00:26:03.809 --> 00:26:05.849 question. Goes way beyond just basketball stats. 00:26:06.109 --> 00:26:07.390 Something to think about. Definitely something 00:26:07.390 --> 00:26:09.130 to chew on. Thanks for joining us on The Deep 00:26:09.130 --> 00:26:09.410 Dive.