LeBron James continues to entrench himself deeper in NBA lore by shattering one impressive record after another. A few years after becoming the league's all-time leader in points, he recently broke Robert Parish's record for most games played in league history. Despite being 41 and in his 23rd season, James remains a driving force for the Los Angeles Lakers in a loaded Western Conference.
According to his friend, former teammate and Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade , this puts him in a class of his own.
Although James no longer possesses the same explosiveness he had in his early years, he remains a highly effective player for the Purple and Gold. After embracing his role as a complementary player to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves , the Lakers have been on a roll, winning 11 of their last 12 games to sit in third in the West.
Wade relayed that he wasn't surprised to see James break Parish's record, given his consistency and his commitment to keeping his body in peak condition.
"It's incredible. And he's going to continue to keep smashing them all," Wade said . "He's going to continue to keep passing everybody. And once it's all said and done, as you look back at it, it's going to be an incredible body of work."
"Like the one of the greatest bodies of work that the game has ever seen," the three-time champion added.
James' resume already secures his place as a sports icon like no other. He is treading unprecedented ground — no player in NBA history has ever competed in 23 seasons. Add to that the fact that his engine is still humming and driving him and the Lakers to new heights, Wade is undoubtedly on to something here.
Every time LeBron's name is mentioned, Michael Jordan's is sure to follow since the two are considered the frontrunners for the mythical title of "Greatest of All Time" (GOAT). And while many fans would consider Jordan as the GOAT, Wade said they don't have to compete for it, as he believes James is in a category by himself.
"They're going to say MJ's better and they're going to say this person's better. But LeBron James is in a room by himself. He can go into other rooms with other GOATs and talk to them because they there. We can't go in those rooms," Wade commented.
"But what he's doing, no one else will do. Not saying no one else will come and beat him in certain records, but overall, everything that he's putting together, it's going to be hard. Good luck," he continued. "It's going to be hard. It's going to be a long time. You and I, sir, won't be here. Tell you that."
There's no question that when one zooms into James' career, they will see imperfections and flaws. However, from a broader perspective, it's difficult to identify an NBA journey that's more well-rounded. From team success to individual accolades, the man has done everything that could be done in a professional athlete's career and more.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
