LeBron James has reignited the debate about load management and the strain of modern NBA life. In the Mind the Game podcast, the Lakers star explained why he finds a full 82-game season more demanding today than it was in the 80s or 90s.
LeBron disagrees with the notion that today’s NBA players have an easier time getting through a full regular season. The “King” made it clear that, in his view, comparisons between the eras often fall short. “82 games in the 80s and 90s are not the same as 82 games in the 2020s,” James said. He cited today’s pace and speed of play as the main reason: “The way we play, with the level of pace and speed—it’s a different game.”
In his opinion, the modern style of play puts a different physical strain on players. While earlier years were all about physicality in the zone, today it is the constant movement across the entire court that takes a greater toll on the body. “There are a lot of muscle and tendon injuries now,” James explained, adding that he hopes better solutions will be found in the future. “When I entered the league, one of the biggest concerns was high ankle sprains,” James said, often caused by landings in traffic “because there were four or five guys in the zone.” Today, spacing has changed many of these situations, but other problems are more prevalent: “The new high ankle sprain is the calf.” His statements come at a time when calf and leg injuries are an issue league-wide – most recently with Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose return from a calf injury remains uncertain.