JJ Redick believes what sets LeBron James apart is his competitive endurance

There is an innate pressure to succeed when coaching one of the greatest players of all time, and Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick finds himself in that position with LeBron James.

With James now in his 22nd season, you’d think he would just ride off into the sunset and be happy with what he’s accomplished over the course of his career. However, this is not the case and he continues to impress as he turns 40 in December.

Although James isn’t as spry as he once was, the Lakers star is still capable of playing winning basketball. When asked what has impressed Redick most since his time coaching James, the new coach pointed to his competitiveness.

“I think the biggest thing is just competitive endurance,” Redick said. “This is reflected in his routine of getting up every morning and doing the same thing over and over again. It is not easy. I think that anyone who has ever been a high performer has moments where they feel like they can take a day off, take a rep break, or take a week off, whatever it may be. And I know that in the off-season he occasionally hops on a $300 million yacht in Ibiza or wherever he goes in the Mediterranean for a week. But I think that’s what stands out: You don’t do it for as long and have the routine that you have without just having a high level of competitive endurance.”

Despite a sarcastic dig, it’s that answer that kept James playing in the NBA for so long. No player has ever maintained this level of performance for more than 20 seasons in their respective careers.

It’s absurd to average anything close to a triple-double in ’22, and while it’s still early in the season, players have never sniffed an average of this magnitude at this point.

In the same breath, LA can’t sit back and enjoy the show. There has to be a desire to capitalize on that greatness and try to bring James another championship. Hopefully seeing this single player will lead to action sooner rather than later.

LeBron James doesn’t think his recent high turnover rate is a big deal

At this point in his career, LeBron James has to outsmart his opponents with his IQ, and he has succeeded up to this point. But in the last few games, ball losses have plagued the four-time champions.

However, he doesn’t think his recent increase in turnovers is a big deal as he tries to be aggressive and play for his team.

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