LeBron James hasn't played for the Miami Heat in over a decade, but his time there will never be forgotten and will always grace the pages of not just the NBA's history books but also the Heat's. Incredibly, James is still playing basketball, and another former member of the franchise recently spoke up about it.
The amazing thing about James' career today is not just that he remains relevant, playing high-quality basketball, and that, on most nights, he's faster, stronger, and more in shape than the rest of the players sharing the court with him. No, it's much more than those; Father Time fails again and again to bring him down.Â
At 41, James continues to keep the old man pinned down, and it's not lost on anyone, current or former NBA players. One said former player is Tim Hardaway Sr., a former Heat star like James (well, not exactly like James), who recently went to bat for what James is still doing in year 23, and it's only right that it came from someone who once wore the same jersey.Â
Former 2x Miami Heat All-Star raves about LeBron James' unparalleled athleticism
Hardaway, the father of soon-to-be free agent Tim Hardaway Jr., played for the Heat for five seasons from 1996–2001, a stretch that marked the franchise's best years before its championship run from 2010-14. Hardaway was one of the Heat's most important players at that time, alongside Alonzo Mourning and Glen Rice.Â
Hardaway stepped away from the game in 2003, but given that his son is representing the Hardaway name these days, it means that the elder still pays attention, and clearly, he's paying attention to James. The Los Angeles Lakers champion is unlikely to drag his team out of the 0-3 hole they’re facing against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but there's no denying that James is still playing and has played incredibly well this postseason.Â
James has had to step up in a massive way in these playoffs, averaging 23.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and eight assists in 38 minutes per game. No 41-year-old has ever sniffed those kinds of numbers. It's catching the attention of fans everywhere, and it would appear that Hardaway is one of those fans, judging by what he recently told Hard Rock Bet during an interview.Â
"What he has done is phenomenal," Hardaway said. "He just keeps defying people. He keeps defying father time. And a big part of it is that he’s healthy. At that age, guys just aren’t jumping like that anymore. They don’t have that kind of athleticism anymore. But he still does."
It's important to note that Hardaway didn't just reference Father Time's role in this, but "people" also. Father time doesn't criticize, tear down, or downplay; he only steals your time, but people do criticize, tear down, or downplay, and James has been hearing it from the outside for years.Â
Of course, he has his supporters, and likely, more than his detractors. Still, Hardaway's praise just further proves James' greatness; he's cut from a different cloth, and a cut above everyone else, even at 41. Heat fans witnessed this for four seasons, and two championships resulted.
James' decision to stay in Miami instead of leaving for Cleveland is one of the biggest "what if's" in sports history. Nevertheless, today, it's still a joy and a privilege to watch him defy the reality of sports, people, and Father Time. Hardaway couldn't have said it better.
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