LeBron James has been the man since high school, playing for the St. Vincent-St. Mary Fighting Irish back in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. A hoops phenom the world had never seen before, he soon took the NBA by storm, winning Rookie of the Year honors in 2003 before embarking on a legendary career that has spanned over two decades.
However, as time goes by and Father Time catches up, there comes a point where they must pass the torch to the next generation. And for LBJ, it seems like that moment may be upon him. With the trade for Luka Doncic bringing the Slovenian superstar to the City of Angels, many have speculated that there's already a new sheriff in town.
Now, the more pressing question is should this be the case, will King James cede the throne and be content with playing second fiddle?
It's undeniable that time is catching up to James. While his production last season doesn't reflect any slippage (24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists per game in 70 regular-season games), there were numerous moments in the postseason when many noticed that he looked like he had run out of gas.
While that's perfectly understandable considering his age and the mileage on his body, it underscores the importance of having a much-younger player take over the reins of the Purple and Gold.
"It's going to be fascinating to see how he reacts to it. He's been the man for 23 years," former NBA star Mike Bibby surmised on the "Straight Game Podcast." "He averaged what, 20-something points last year? Anybody over year 20 usually averages like seven points a game. So for him to keep doing it at that level — it's incredible. But I think it's going to be a hard pill to swallow for him."
Throughout his 22-year NBA career, Bron has proven that he's all about playing the right way for the sake of team success. It has never been about numbers. At the same time, it cannot be denied that the spotlight and accolades have always followed him wherever he goes. So, it will be an interesting dynamic to follow how James will handle no longer being the man.
At only 26, there's no better player to build around than Doncic. He has risen to elite status in only seven short seasons, a 6'6" point guard capable of running the offense and getting buckets regardless of what defense is in front of him. During that stretch, he earned five All-Star berths and was named on the All-NBA First Team five times.
According to former NBA veteran Eddie House, LeBron did not hand over the keys of the Lakers franchise to Luka; Luka took them.
"I think Luka's going out there and saying, 'Hey, this is going to be my team,'" House, an NBA champion with the Boston Celtics in 2008, relayed. "What he did do, though, is lean on LeBron to be like, 'How you be getting in shape like this? How you stay in shape?' And he got his body together."
Another former NBA veteran, Jelani McCoy, added that Luka was built for this moment. Playing in L.A. is no mean feat, with the Lakers among the league's most glamorous and high-pressure franchises. But Luka is not fazed.
"Luka's been the man since he was 15. He's been playing for Real Madrid against 20-year-olds since he was a little kid. And he's not from here. He doesn't have the same reverence for LeBron that Americans do," Jelani remarked. "The LeBron stuff is cool — obviously, it's LeBron — but for Luka, he's been doing this since he was 13, you know what I mean?"
LeBron still has some gas left in the tank to help the Lakers win another NBA title. There's no denying that. However, it's clear that his body, regardless of his exceptional commitment and conditioning, won't hold up forever. This means that Luka's time is ripe for taking charge.
Related: "Anybody talks" - Luka Doncic on the difference between trash talk in Europe and America
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 16, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
