What should the Washington Wizards do with the No. 1 pick?
The Washington Wizards acquired the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft lottery, but have not yet decided what to do with it.
If this is really about LeBron James, give him one credit. That is, he was an unprecedented person until the very end.
On Monday, May 11, the Oklahoma City Thunder handily defeated James’ Los Angeles Lakers in the conference semifinal round in what may have been the final game of James’ storied 23-year career. James hasn’t revealed his plans for the future, but he’s set to turn 42 in December and has recently become more aware of what basketball is doing to his body.
James also has nothing more to prove.
What he did this year was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Not only did he start all 60 games he played during the regular season (adding 10 more in the postseason), he also rewrote the standards for players over 40 to play.
Since turning 41 on December 30, he has averaged 21.1 points, 7.3 assists, and 6.4 rebounds in 46 games played. Compare this number to the next closest player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He averaged just 10.5 points per game after scoring 41 points.cent birthday.
Take this postseason, for example, where the Lakers fell well short of their goal, but they were also without All-Star Luka Doncic. And Austin Reeves was also absent for much of Los Angeles’ first-round series against the Rockets.
This meant that the Lakers’ expectations were immediately placed squarely on James, who responded by averaging 23.2 points in the playoffs. Simply put, no other player in history has been so consistently reliable at this stage of his career.
“What he’s doing at this stage of his career is remarkable,” Thunder coach Mark Dainot told reporters after the game. “Just the fact that he’s playing at this stage of his career is remarkable. The level he can reach at this stage is incredible.
“And he’s a guy who, if you make a mistake, he’s going to make you pay for it and that actually helps you grow. Like, he’s growing your team because he’s going to find any flaws.”
Despite losing Game 4 on Monday night, James scored a solid 24 points on 8-of-18 shooting and added 12 rebounds and three assists.
Frankly, that claim could span his entire career.
Throughout his playing days, James has responded to an almost absurd level. Not only did he avoid major injuries, but his 61,030 minutes played in the regular season amounted to 42.4 days, an all-time record.
He also logged 12,405 minutes played in the playoffs on Monday night, also an all-time record.
Forget the debate about where James ranks compared to Jordan, Kobe, Kareem, and Wilt. Because such conversations are reductive and difficult to quantify.
There’s no denying that James is the best player of this generation. He was a 22-time All-Star, won four championships with three different teams, and was named Most Valuable Player four times. If this was his last game, he would have been an ambassador for the sport and elevated the play of his teammates. He outperformed his competitors and stayed in top physical condition. He stayed away from controversy and enriched the communities in which he played.
Like all great players, James had his detractors. But if this was actually his last game, be thankful for its production and longevity. Thank you for your commitment to sports. Because like Jordan, Kobe, Kareem, Wilt, there will never be another LeBron James.
