Why LeBron James Still Sees Himself as a ‘Stupid Kid’
The The end of the road may be near for the Los Angeles Lakers All-Star Game LeBron James, but the veteran has not lost respect for the game he loves.
After the Lakers’ 124-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night, James took a moment to think to what the night represented for him.
“I’m a dumb 41-year-old kid. … I’m getting paid to play basketball. Like, why shouldn’t I be happy about that,” James told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
James had 28 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists while shooting 10 of 20 from the field against Dallas. The series took place on a night when both Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves were sidelined. In addition, James became the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double.
“I think what it represents is pretty cool — the fact that you can go out and affect three aspects of the game,” James told reporters after the game. “Rebounding. Assists, obviously, is what I love the most. Being able to get my guys involved, throughout my career, I’ve always loved that more than anything. And being able to put the ball in the basket, that’s part of this game as well. So I think what it means to have your hand in three aspects of the game, which is a pretty cool influence on those three aspects.”
The Lakers are now 33-21 on the season as they look to make a serious postseason push. While it remains to be seen how long James will remain in the league, it is evident that he will not take the final stages of his career for granted.
“I guess I appreciate moments like this more in my career, understanding where I am, later in my journey,” James said. “You definitely take it a little more.”
2026-02-13 14:18:00
