LeBron James took the floor as a starter in Saturday’s matchup between the Lakers and the Magic, becoming the NBA’s all-time leader in games played.
He passes Hall-of-Famer Robert Parish with 1,612 games and counting.
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“If anyone is deserving of breaking the iron man record, I would say LeBron James is,” Parish told ESPN on Thursday. “Because he takes such good care of himself. … His approach to fitness and what he puts into his body reflects, or mirrors, how I felt about my fitness and what I ate, how I took care of myself. And so, it’s a testament to not only my longevity, but LeBron’s longevity.”
After tying the record with Thursday’s game against the Miami Heat, James praised Parish in return.
“Shout out Chief, man,” James said. “I’ve been seeing some of the things that he’s been saying about me, and there’s not a lot of those OGs that talk like that to the generation after them, and also about me personally, so shout out to Chief. He’s super cool. He’s dope. I like him.”
James’ career has been defined by historic milestones. At 41 years of age in his 23rd NBA season, he’s still playing winning basketball while making a huge impact. He’s putting up averages of 21.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game this season.
While Saturday’s historic milestone is impressive, James is likely more focused on helping the red-hot Lakers prepare for a playoff run.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
