In year 15 of his illustrious career, LeBron James continues to outdo himself. He’s averaging 28 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 8.5 apg, on 58% shooting and 42% from three point range. His percentage from long range is a career high. He also is averaging a career high in true shooting percentage (66.4), assist percentage (42.9) and block percentage (2.6). Even with all of this, LeBron is still not even considered the favorite for the MVP award according to the Washington Post. The writers at the Washington Post voted James Harden as the league MVP with 944 points and LeBron came in second place with 773 points. So even while playing the best basketball we have ever seen LeBron is still not getting the credit he deserves and he’s noticed it as well.
When talking to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, LeBron had this to say:
“I think people have just grown accustomed of what I do and it gets taken for granted at times what I do because I do it so often and it’s been a constant thing for so long,” James said. “It’s like, ‘Oh, that’s what LeBron’s supposed to do.’ It looks easy, but it’s not.”
Channing Frye chimed in on how much of LeBron we’re seeing right now and he believes we’re only seeing 60% of what Lebron is capable of. LeBron had this to say about Frye’s observation:
“I’ve never played at 60 in my life. Never. But OK, cool, it sounds good. I like it.” James went on to say that if he is at 80 percent currently, it will only improve by the postseason. “I can play better,” James said. “But I think right now I’m in a really good groove. But for me every month I get better and better. That’s how I’ve been in my career. I get stronger and stronger as the months go on. I just want to continue that. I want to continue to get better and better every month. This is December, I’m at 80. January I’ll be at 85, I’ll be at 90 in February, I’ll be at 95 in March and then when playoffs start I’ll be at 100 all the way up hopefully until June. Hopefully I can continue that.”
If this is truly only 80% of what LeBron James is capable of, it is going to be scary to see 100% of him come playoffs. Regardless of what most are saying, LeBron has to be the front runner for MVP, and if he is only at 80%, when he really turns it on it is going to be fun to see.