NBA
The change LeBron made to his game this year to stay at the top
The future NBA Hall of Famer and Lakers power forward is tireless in his work to remain a key player at 39.
LeBron James is carving out a unique legacy in the NBA, setting individual records over his more than two decades in the league that are going to be hard to beat . At 39, he continues to be a pivotal figure in the league, and much of the Los Angeles Lakers’ success this season likely hinges on LeBron James’s performances.
LeBron James has improved his three-point shooting
NBA shooting coach Dave Hopla, who has never worked directly with the future Hall of Famer, has followed his career since his debut in 2003. Hopla has observed the ‘King’s’ improvement in his three-point shooting in recent years, a key factor in maintaining his elite status in the NBA at 39.
“I always felt LeBron leaned to his left when he shot from the perimeter. Now, I’ve noticed he’s aligning a bit more squarely, and it’s making a big difference in his game,” Dave Hopla told ESPN.
This season, LeBron James has a three-point shooting percentage of 41.3 percent over 68 games with the Los Angeles Lakers. Recently, the ‘King’ tied his personal record with 9 three-pointers and scored 40 points against the Nets to set a new record for the most games with at least 30 points, surpassing Michael Jordan’s mark.
The only other time LeBron James had a similar three-point shooting percentage was during his tenure with the Miami Heat. In the 2012/13 season, the ‘King’ shot 40.6 percent from beyond the arc but only attempted 3.3 three-pointers per game, compared to 5.2 this campaign.
LeBron James will return to action on Tuesday when the Lakers host the Golden State Warriors, aiming to climb higher in the Western Conference standings. The game will feature a three-point shooting battle between the ‘King’ and Stephen Curry, who is considered the greatest shooter in NBA history.