Nearing the top 10 of our top 25 rankings, we arrive at LeBron James. The Los Angeles Lakers star has had an absurd stretch of dominance over the past 20 years. LeBron’s elite all-around skill set, basketball IQ, and physical traits have allowed for an unprecedented amount of longevity. Let’s dive into LeBron’s game and spot on this list.
Top 25 NBA Players 2024-25: No. 11 – LeBron James
An All-Time Great and Basketball Legend
LeBron has a strong case as the greatest basketball player of all time. His speed, strength, athleticism, shot creation, playmaking, finishing, and IQ give him one of the most unique yet complete skill sets the game has ever seen. Entering his 22nd season, LeBron still possesses all the skills that made him the best player in the league for a decade. Of course, there has been some natural decline in athleticism and defender, however, LeBron is still an elite athlete and has adapted his game to sustain success. LeBron’s incredible basketball IQ has been a major factor in his unmatched longevity. In the Olympics, LeBron showed he is still one of the best stars. Notably, LeBron led Team USA to a gold medal and won MVP. He led the team in rebounds and assists while being the second-leading scorer.
LeBron James’ Legendary resume:
— 3x Gold Medalist
— All-Time Scoring Leader
— Top 4 in Assists
— 20x All-Star
— 20x AIl-NBA
— 10x Finals
— 6x All-Defense
— 4x MVP
— 4x NBA Champ
— 4x FMVP
— 3x AS MVP
— 1x Scoring Leader
— 1x Assist Leader
— 1x IST Champ
— 1x IST MVP
— ROTY— BronMuse (@BronMuse) August 12, 2024
Season Recap
With an incredible 21st season, LeBron continued to challenge Father Time. James posted well-rounded averages of 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists on 54/41/75 shooting splits. Impressively, LeBron made his 20th straight All-NBA and All-Star team, both are NBA records. Notably, his 41 percent from three was a career-high. Additionally, LeBron shot 46.3 percent on catch-and-shoot threes. The Lakers season started with promise as they won the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament. LeBron also ranked within the top 10 for estimated plus/minus and VORP. The Lakers offense was a +8.9 with LeBron on the court.
Despite this, along with excellent play from LeBron and Anthony Davis, the Lakers finished as a 7-seed. Questionable spacing, as well as a lack of shot creators outside LeBron and AD, were central to the Lakers’ shortcomings. Ultimately, they lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round. In the playoffs, LeBron put up stellar averages of 27.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 2.4 steals on 56.6/38.5/73.9 shooting splits. While the Lakers fell short of title contention, LeBron’s level of play at this stage of his career is truly incredible.
Season Outlook
The Lakers are entering the season with a very similar roster. Their only additions are draft picks Dalton Knecht and Bronny James and free agent Christian Koloko. Much of the coverage will be around the first-ever father-son duo, which admittedly is an awesome story. However, Knecht will be the most impactful addition, especially with his knock-down shooting abilities. While the Lakers didn’t make any roster changes, JJ Redick’s hiring was certainly notable. Redick will bring a more free-flowing offense with an emphasis on three-point shooting.
Redick has discussed using LeBron more off-ball; this is logical considering James’ evolution as a shooter, and it allows him to conserve energy. LeBron will turn 40 in December making this change necessary. LeBron’s raw scoring numbers will likely hover around the same range or slightly dip however, it’s possible his three-point percentage and attempts both increase. To be title contenders the Lakers are dependent on another big season from LeBron and AD along with Redick greatly improving the offense.
The Last Word
11 might seem too low for LeBron however, this shouldn’t be taken as a slight what is doing at his advanced age is truly remarkable. A case can certainly be made for LeBron to be as high as five. Ultimately, the league is so deep and rankings are extremely close. LeBron still offers multiple elite skills however, throughout an 82-game the stars above him are better suited to carry a team in 2024. Regardless, LeBron’s absurd longevity is beyond incredible; he is a true anomaly; we’ve never seen anything like him and never will again. As LeBron’s career winds down please don’t take this all-time great for granted.
