LeBron James playing with Michael Jordan helped pave way for legendary preparation

LeBron James decided early that talent alone wasn’t going to be enough.

At 41, James said the one thing that could derail an all-time career was failing to prepare, a realization that shaped everything that followed. The Lakers star detailed that mindset and the routines behind it in a conversation with Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.

“I didn’t want to have no six- or seven-year career,” James said. “I can’t become legendary in six or seven years. I always had a mission.”

That mission formed well before the NBA. James recalled playing pickup in Chicago with Michael Jordan as a high school sophomore, then facing the Cavaliers as a junior and realizing he belonged. The confidence came early. The discipline followed.

“I was playing against NBA guys for a long time and I was like, ‘If I get the opportunity to crack the league, if I get the opportunity to showcase what I’m able to do, the only thing that can stop me is if I don’t take care of my body,” James said. “The only thing that can stop me from being the greatest or one of the greatest to ever play this game is if I do not take care of myself.’ I did take care of my body. That’s it.”

The results are still showing up. James became the oldest player in league history to record a triple-double this week, another marker in a career that keeps stretching.

From the outside, the physical longevity is remarkable. To Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, the mental side stands out even more.

“He’s always prepared himself for the marathon,” Kidd said. “But I think it’s the mental side. To wake up and say, ‘Do I need to go play against a 20-year-old or a 19-year-old?’ He’s won championships, he’s been MVP, he’s been the face of the league. And he still loves the competition.”

That, more than anything, explains why the run hasn’t ended yet.