LeBron's 21st season - What to expect from King James and the Lakers in 2023-24 - ESPN

After bouncing to seven different teams in his eight seasons in the NBA, Christian Wood was determined to make a strong first-day impression with his eighth.

With the Los Angeles Lakers gathering for a voluntary, player-run minicamp about a week before training camp, Wood reported to the court at San Diego State's practice facility hours before the team was scheduled to meet.

«I tried to be one of the first ones in the gym,» Wood told ESPN. «I think it was about 7 a.m., 7:20.

»First person I see is LeBron James. Already in a full sweat.

«He already beat me to it.»

James, 38 years old and entering his 21st season with his third different franchise, has gotten here by beating obstacles big and small along the way. Beating the odds to rise out of his hard-scrabble Akron, Ohio, upbringing. Beating defenders off the dribble on foray after foray to the hoop. Beating playoff opponent after playoff opponent en route to four rings and 10 trips to the NBA Finals. And beating even the most bombastic projections of where his career would wind up after being feverishly hyped as a high school prospect in a way the sport had never seen.

Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown, who was 35 years old when he started coaching James with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2005, marvels at the Lakers star's longevity.

«Shoot, I got fired in Cleveland and I was like, 'Man, I need to take a year off,'» Brown, now 53, said before Wednesday's Kings-Lakers preseason game. «And then the second year came around and I said, 'Man, this is OK.' So I took a second year off.

»For him to go [21] straight years is ridiculous."

Despite injuries taking their toll — James has missed 27, 26 and 27 games over the past three years, respectively — a glimpse back at last