The race for the MVP is not the only current topic for players, coaches and TV consultants. Thanks to Jason Kidd, the debate over the “GOAT”, the “Greatest Of All-Time” is back on the table. For a few years, the discussion had disappeared from the radar, and everyone agrees to think that it is Michael Jordan.
Except that LeBron James makes some people doubt it. At 37, he is the leading scorer in the NBA by combining the regular season and the playoffs, and he is on track to get Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record in the regular season, which we thought was untouchable.
“I think LeBron will end up as the greatest player of all time” believes Jason Kidd, interviewed before the meeting against the Lakers. “When you look at his stats and what he’s done on and off the pitch. Nobody realized that. You have to take it all. He is the greatest player of all time. »
“Nobody at 30 and over has played like him”
It should be remembered all the same that Jason Kidd and LeBron James are close. They were teammates in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics, and they won an NBA title together when Jason Kidd was an assistant for the Lakers.
“He’s a competitor. He’s the best at what he does, and he knows what’s ahead. That doesn’t scare him, and he’s a wonderful human being. I learned a lot in two years with him, but I also learned a lot from him when I played with him on the Olympic team. »
For Jason Kidd, the longevity of LeBron James is exceptional. “He will seize all the records. I know when he grew up on the Akron side, he never imagined becoming the all-time leading scorer in the NBA. He only thought about winning, and he did too. »
“His focus is unparalleled. He is aware of the present moment, he knows what he is doing at any time and he is always preparing. We all dream of having this physique and mentality, but he takes care of himself. He spends money to make sure his physique and his head are ready to work, and he comes to practice every day and he’s always up to the task. (…) The way he plays at 30 and over is incredible. Many of us at this age just hope nothing goes wrong. Him unrolls… Nobody at 30 and over has played like him, but that’s all him. He will always set the bar high. »
And what does he think of this failed season of the Lakers, 11th in the West since that night?
“This year hasn’t gone the way they wanted it to, and injuries have a lot to do with it” replies Jason Kidd. “I think LeBron is going to start preparing – after the season is over – for the next season to put himself in a position to win a title, and that’s what he will be judged on. That said, at his age, if he wins the title of best scorer, it will be pretty cool to see this trophy at home next to that of best passer. And if he fails to achieve this goal of winning a title, he will get back to work the following year”.
| LeBron James | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Tirs | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Until | Pd | Fte | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2003-04 | CLE | 79 | 40 | 41.7 | 29.0 | 75.4 | 1.3 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 3.5 | 0.7 | 20.9 |
| 2004-05 | CLE | 80 | 42 | 47.2 | 35.1 | 75.0 | 1.4 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 27.2 |
| 2005-06 | CLE | 79 | 43 | 48.0 | 33.5 | 73.8 | 1.0 | 6.1 | 7.0 | 6.6 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 31.4 |
| 2006-07 | CLE | 78 | 41 | 47.6 | 31.9 | 69.8 | 1.1 | 5.7 | 6.7 | 6.0 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 0.7 | 27.3 |
| 2007-08 | CLE | 75 | 40 | 48.4 | 31.5 | 71.2 | 1.8 | 6.1 | 7.9 | 7.2 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 30.0 |
| 2008-09 ★ | CLE | 81 | 38 | 48.9 | 34.4 | 78.0 | 1.3 | 6.3 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 28.4 |
| 2009-10 ★ | CLE | 76 | 39 | 50.3 | 33.3 | 76.7 | 0.9 | 6.4 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 29.7 |
| 2010-11 | MY | 79 | 39 | 51.1 | 33.0 | 75.9 | 1.0 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 26.7 |
| 2011-12 ★ | MY | 62 | 38 | 53.1 | 36.2 | 77.1 | 1.5 | 6.4 | 7.9 | 6.2 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 27.2 |
| 2012-13 ★ | MY | 76 | 38 | 56.5 | 40.6 | 75.3 | 1.3 | 6.8 | 8.0 | 7.3 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 26.8 |
| 2013-14 | MY | 77 | 38 | 56.7 | 37.9 | 75.0 | 1.1 | 5.9 | 6.9 | 6.3 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 27.1 |
| 2014-15 | CLE | 69 | 36 | 48.8 | 35.4 | 71.0 | 0.7 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 0.7 | 25.3 |
| 2015-16 | CLE | 76 | 36 | 52.0 | 30.9 | 73.1 | 1.5 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 25.3 |
| 2016-17 | CLE | 74 | 38 | 54.8 | 36.3 | 67.4 | 1.3 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 4.1 | 0.6 | 26.4 |
| 2017-18 | CLE | 82 | 37 | 54.2 | 36.7 | 73.1 | 1.2 | 7.5 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 27.5 |
| 2018-19 | LAL | 55 | 35 | 51.0 | 33.9 | 66.5 | 1.0 | 7.4 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 27.4 |
| 2019-20 | LAL | 67 | 35 | 49.3 | 34.8 | 69.3 | 1.0 | 6.9 | 7.8 | 10.2 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 3.9 | 0.5 | 25.3 |
| 2020-21 | LAL | 45 | 33 | 51.3 | 36.5 | 69.8 | 0.6 | 7.0 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 25.0 |
| 2021-22 | LAL | 55 | 37 | 52.3 | 35.9 | 75.6 | 1.2 | 7.1 | 8.2 | 6.3 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 30.1 |
| Total | 1365 | 38 | 50.5 | 34.6 | 73.4 | 1.2 | 6.3 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 27.1 | |
