The Lakers’ LeBron James is redefining NBA longevity as he reaches his 21st season

EL SEGUNDO, California: LeBron James is already the defining figure of this basketball era with his strength, skills, smarts and relentless will to win.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar now seems determined to redefine how long an elite player can stay on top.

James begins his 21st NBA season next week with his 39th birthday looming in December, yet the top scorer in league history shows shockingly few signs of decline from his peerless standard of performance. From a statistical standpoint, James’ prolific production hasn’t waned in any significant way for two full decades.

James admits he can feel the years. For everybody else, they’re almost impossible to see.

“I feel different. I’m not a 21-year-old, that’s for sure,” James said with a laugh. “Feels a little bit different getting out of bed every day. But as far as my energy level, I feel pretty good.”

From Tom Brady to Kelly Slater, modern athletes across all sports have rewritten the traditional guidelines around age and decline in the 21st century. Few have ever done it like James, whose ascent to the throne of the NBA’s oldest player caught his Lakers teammates by surprise.

“He sure doesn’t play like it,” Austin Reaves said. “He’s still out here making us look bad in practice.”

James makes this unprecedented NBA longevity look relatively easy, yet he also smiles and deflects when asked about his endgame. He says he doesn’t know how long he wants to play, and he admits he thought hard about walking away after last season before he decided to return to the Lakers while even keeping an eye on the Paris Olympics next summer.

“I don’t know what the end is going to look like,” he said. “I have no idea.”

James is the sixth player in league history to make it