In spite of all the success he garnered in his career, LeBron James is still vastly underestimated to this day.
The 17-time All-Star has been one of the best players in history. But his polarizing reputation has led to fans and critics taking his greatness for granted.
For LeBron James, this undervaluation from the basketball community has only served to fuel and motivate him in his career.
James has been in the NBA for almost 2 decades and has done achieved things most players can only dream of.
LBJ has been a 4-time NBA Champion and Finals MVP, 4-time regular season MVP, a multiple All-NBA and All-Defensive player in his career.
And at age 36, James showed that he can still be a superstar and one of the best players in the league.
A lot of this has to do with how well James takes care of himself. James knew that to maximize his career, he needed to get the best care in the world both physically and mentally.
But on top of that, James’ intelligence on the court also makes sure that he can go on longer than most players.
Many people consider James one of the best passers in NBA history, as his court vision is miles ahead of most players in history.
One former NBA star does agree with this assessment. Lakers legend and current LA Clippers GM Jerry West spoke recently about LeBron James.
He gave James high props for his work ethic, determination, and endurance in the league, before calling him the smartest player to ever play the game.
“When you watch him play, he leaves nothing on the table in terms of his personal investment, his work ethic. He’s maybe the smartest player I have ever seen play basketball.”
This isn’t the first time West has been so vocal about his praise for ‘the King’. In the past, West has picked LeBron James over Kobe Bryant as the better player.
This came as a shock for many fans, given how big a fan West is of Kobe and the fact that he brought Kobe to the Lakers in 1996.
Because of his size and style of play, James gets compared to Magic Johnson, who was an exceptional passer and scorer during his time.
James knows the right play to make on almost every occasion. And he isn’t afraid to pass the ball and let a teammate get the bucket if it means the team can win.
More must-reads: