LeBron James admits the Paris Olympic Games will disrupt his summer offseason routine.
At nearly 40 years old, now should be the time when LeBron James begins to wind down his basketball activities. But with a commitment to join Team USA this summer, James will have an unusual disruption in his summer routine and it could have a big impact on his play moving forward.
“Over the last 4-5 years, I’ve given my body two months of no basketball,” James said on the latest episode of ‘Mind the Game’ podcast. “It’s challenging now because in two months training camp starts. I don’t want to go into camp not doing anything for two months.”
LeBron James is meticulous about his body and he goes to great lengths to ensure he stays durable and fresh over a long 82-game season. Somehow, at 39 years old, LeBron continues to play at an elite level and he’s healthy more often than he’s not.
Coming off a particularly brutal season for the Lakers, LeBron would have normally taken a break from the game entirely until it was time to ramp up for a new campaign. With the Olympics in play, however, it throws off the entire schedule and presents a new challenge for the King.
To ensure he’s in good condition for the tournament (July 26-August 11), LeBron is going to need to stay active and in the gym throughout the offseason. Unfortunately, by the time the Olympics are over, the regular season will be right around the corner and there will be practically no downtime to recover.
Unless LeBron retires or walks back his Team USA commitment at the last minute, he’s going to be in for a busy year and it’s sure to take a toll on his aging body. So far, James has managed to overcome every challenge in his path but it remains to be seen how much longer he can sustain this level of production.
