Following the Oklahoma City Thunder capturing the NBA Championship, all eyes turned to the Los Angeles Lakers, who had to plan to be with or without LeBron James for the upcoming season. James’ contract situation and future was up in the air, but ultimately the decision was made to let the 40-year-old play out the final year of his contract. James didn’t make much of a fuss about it.
But it became clear throughout the process that the Lakers front office doesn’t view James as their top priority at the moment. Father Time is undefeated, and it’s coming for James whether he likes it or not. LeBron has fought hard to stave off the effects of aging, and he continues to dominate on almost a nightly basis. But his starpower is waning, even if it’s slight, and people are taking notice.
LeBron James ranked as 11th-best player in NBA by The Ringer
The Ringer published a ranking of the Top 100 players in the NBA heading into the 2025-26 season. You have to scroll a bit to find James, which has never been the case. The Lakers’ cornerstone player comes in at No. 11 on the list. His teammate and new face of the franchise, Luka Doncic, is ranked No. 4.
While it may be jarring to see Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson be ranked ahead of James, fans will have to start admitting that The King is not the unquestioned best player in the NBA anymore. At 40 years old, that should be expected. In a sense, it’s actually incredible that James is still ranking as high as he is at such an advanced age.
James will turn 41 years old at the end of the year, yet he continues to be a showstopper on a nightly basis. The stats speak for themselves, but his impact on single games remains top-notch. Whether that leads to another ring with the Lakers remains to be seen.
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