LeBron James certainly has his share of detractors. Maybe it's because of The Decision all those years ago. Maybe it's because he speaks his mind more than most athletes. Maybe it's because, well, he always wins.
But King James deserves credit for his work ethic. Even at the age of 36, James is that rare NBA player who wants to play every night. Even after a 71-day shortened offseason after leading the Lakers to the title in the Orlando bubble, there has been no days off for the superstar.
James played in the Lakers' first 36 games of the season. He will take Wednesday off and miss a game against the Kings. This is a 6-foot-9, 250-pound man who is in his 18th season as a pro. He has played in 1,301 regular season games and 260 playoff games. That's 60,608 minutes of action. That's more than 42 days of playing basketball at the highest level.
And, still, James wants to be on the floor every night. In his career, he's played 80 or more games three times. Contrast that with one of his former teammates, the much younger Kyrie Irving, who rarely goes a week without missing a game.
ESPN's over-the-top coverage of all things LeBron can make many sick of him. The greatest NBA player of all-time? That's a debate for another day. But this is not up for debate: LeBron James should be celebrated for his compete level.
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