Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard believes people will appreciate LeBron James’ greatness more when the Los Angeles Lakers superstar retires from the NBA. LeBron is entering his 21st season in the NBA and is still one of the best players in the league.
“I think people will look back at that body of work over 20 years or however long it’s been, and when it’s over with, I think they’ll have more respect (for James),” Lillard told NBA reporter Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “For the guys who are in it like I am, and the rest of us who do this job, got to put our bodies through it and got to deal with the pressure and have to perform and all of these things to go along with our personal lives, I think people like us respect it. But when it’s over, what I think you guys, fans that just have watched, will respect him more later.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Damian Lillard, LeBron James, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
LeBron entered the NBA straight out of high school in 2003. He became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer last season and has won four titles, four Finals MVPs and four regular-season MVPs.
“I was watching him on ESPN back then, so to have that type of hype and to live up to it and then some,” Lillard said, “to come out as your all-time leading scorer in this league, to win how he’s won, to be as scrutinized as he is and has been. … I can just respect how he (has handled the pressure).”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Damian Lillard, LeBron James, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
LeBron has career NBA averages of 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists. He is first in NBA history in points, fourth in assists, ninth in steals, fourth in triple-doubles, third in player efficiency rating and sixth in points per game.
LeBron is the only player ever with at least 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists in a career.
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