Lakers News: Giannis Antetokounmpo Impressed By LeBron James, ‘He’s An Alien’
Los Angeles Lakers small forward LeBron James has already achieved numerous accomplishments, but his NBA career is far from over. As of now, the four-time league MVP continues to wreak havoc on both ends of the floor with the goal of adding more championships to his collection. Given his ability to remain a dominant force as he fast approaches his 35th birthday, some of the best active players in the league couldn’t help themselves but admire James, including reigning MVP and Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In an interview with Eric Woodyard of ESPN, Antetokounmpo admitted that James is one of the players that inspires him to continue improving his game. The 25-year-old power forward said that like the Lakers star, he also wants to play at a high level when he reaches his age. Antetokounmpo went as far as calling the older player an “alien.”
“It’s crazy. Obviously, for me, that’s one of my goals to be able to play at a high level for the next 10 years, but he’s about to turn 35 this month and he’s moving like that, playing like that, and just playing smart,” Antetokounmpo said after Wednesday’s practice. “It’s insane to see what he’s able to do, but he’s LeBron James, he’s different. He’s an alien. So you expect it from him, but yeah, it’s crazy.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0Nf-cC_Bh4
It’s definitely not a surprise why Antetokounmpo is very impressed with James. Most NBA players who are approaching their mid-30s usually show a major decline with their performance, but LeBron is different. At the age of 34, he hasn’t shown any significant signs of slowing down and continues to establish an extraordinary performance on both ends of the floor.
This season, James is once again posting incredible numbers, averaging 25.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 10.6 assists, and 1.3 steals while shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from beyond the arc. If he remains consistent with his performance and stays healthy throughout the season, he will likely be a huge threat to Antetokounmpo in his quest to win back-to-back MVP awards.
On Thursday night at Fiserv Forum, James and the Lakers will be facing Antetokounmpo and the Bucks for the first time in the 2019-20 NBA season. Their upcoming game is a must-watch for NBA fans as both teams are currently sitting at the top of their respective conferences. However, the Lakers may not be at full strength when they go up against Milwaukee Though James is expected to play, Los Angeles’ second-best player, Anthony Davis, may not be available as he recently suffered a mild ankle sprain.
