NBA (DR)

Arriving in the league two years before LeBron James, Tony Parker had the opportunity to cross swords with the King on numerous occasions.

A few months ago, the French leader gave his strong opinion about the Lakers superstar.

Next year, LeBron James will be able to add a new record to his collection. 2024-25 will indeed mark his 22nd season on the NBA floor, which would allow him to equal Vince Carter.

And when we see him playing in the Lakers jersey, it cannot be ruled out that the winger manages to beat this all-time mark by remaining active for a few more years, even though he has celebrated his 39th birthday. last December.

We may not be a fan of the player or the character, but such athletic prowess commands respect and many people think that he is the GOAT thanks to his extraordinary longevity.

Himself the author of 18 seasons in the United States between 2001 and 2019, Tony Parker could only pay tribute to him on the SKWEEK Show :

Tony Parker admiring LeBron James’ career

In a word: respect. Respect for playing 21 seasons in the NBA because it’s a long time. It’s not easy to keep this level of consistency at the high level and the stats he still does.

He’s no longer in his prime, he doesn’t defend like he used to, but he’s 25-8-6… He has the best stats in history for a guy of this age.

If you look closely, there are only five players who have had 21 seasons, Dirk Kevin Willis, Vince Carter, Robert Parish and I don’t know who the last one is (Kevin Garnett, editor’s note).

The best of them averaged 7 points in his 21st season and averaged 7 points. Frankly, in terms of his longevity, there is no athlete who has had this consistency at the high level.

And even when his Spurs lost in 2012-13, it was the Habs who first took the upper hand with a huge game winner over Bron during Game 1:

Whether you’re a fan of LeBron James or not, the King’s incredible longevity commands respect. The winger may be turning 40, but he continues to deliver enormous performances on a regular basis, to the point of doing something unheard of in NBA history.