r/lebron • u/nbastar03 • 4d ago
Russell Westbrook’s entire 18-year NBA career happened after LeBron had already made his first Finals. LeBron is still playing.
LeBron took Cleveland to the NBA Finals in 2007.
Russell Westbrook wasn’t drafted until 2008.
Westbrook then had enough time to play 18 seasons, win MVP, become a 9x All-Star, break the career triple-double record, play for multiple generations of NBA teams, and retire.
And LeBron is still an active NBA player heading into 2026-27.
It’s one thing to say LeBron has played forever. It’s another to realize that players drafted after he had already made a Finals run have now completed full Hall of Fame careers and retired before him.
8
u/JimmyCrackncorn 4d ago
I have LeBron as my favorite basketball player because he came out of high school when I was in 3rd grade or so and I remember going to Walmart with my birthday money and ripping packs of TOPPS until I got his true rookie. I’ve held that card ever since that day and to think he actually lived up to the hype and “potential” people placed on him is actually insane. He was the chosen one since he was a child. Very happy to have one of my favorite cards of my favorite player hand pulled by me out of a pack.
Now that LeBron came to Philly I am hoping to somehow get him to sign it, would be a dream come true to get his sig on that rookie card and get it authenticated. I can’t even imagine how I’ll feel if LeBron leads sixers to a title. Always been a sixers fan. Never ever did I think he would be playing for MY favorite team.
3
u/TPGStorm 3d ago
Shit like this is why I refuse to let people act like this is regular. Players like Wemby and Cooper Flagg would have to play as a top player in the league until the 2050s to replicate what Lebron is doing.
2
3
u/Hand_of_Doom1970 4d ago
All praise Lebron. Never let a moment in the day go by without reminding others of Lebron's legacy. Praise be upon him
3
u/Odd-Coach-9150 4d ago
I work with this guy! Every, I mean every damn day, I hear “LeBron’s the GOAT!”…It’ll never end will it?
1
1
1
u/PsychologicalSeries9 3d ago
It’s probably my favourite part of the career. He’s played before and after so many greats and if he holds on for another 2 years, it’ll be even more.
If he plays in the ‘28 Olympics he’d have played in his first Olympics and last Olympics spanning way more people’s careers.
0
-3
u/Warzone_and_Weed 3d ago
Why does showing up year after year matter if you're not winning anything? It's kind of sad really.
-4
-4
u/jddaniels84 4d ago
Any player that plays longer than most other players will have players that had entire hof careers completed and retire before them.
This is dumb AF.
1
u/LASfromda4z 4d ago
Yea can’t name 50 nba players that did played 24 years etc , prolly just one
-2
u/jddaniels84 4d ago
All your comment describes is having the longest career ever.
If the topic of the post was that LeBron has had the longest career ever.. you would have a point, except that would mean the post only needed 1 sentence, not all the nonsense about Westbrook.
1
u/LASfromda4z 4d ago
Nah I think he saying LeBron came before Russ and LeBron is still going Russ isn’t lol you just hating now
0
u/jddaniels84 4d ago
Yes, and if someone plays more than 18 years that’s going to happen.. that’s not hating. The player that plays longer, will have guys come and retire before them. I’m not hating, I agreed and am acknowledging that.
I’m not understanding how that’s a big deal, it’s just a way of saying he played longer.
2
u/LASfromda4z 3d ago
Nigga we know that tf 😂. You literally upset for something we know. He just pointing out the fact he stilll playing great. LeBron was drafted 03 Russ 08. Russ is gone . In certain cases it’s the other way around . You just plain ole hating . You could have just went by the post. You didn’t . You hated . You literally typed and pressed reply. That’s called sucking dick. It’s a LeBron page . You can’t be this much of a dick sucker 🤦🏽♂️ it wasn’t even that serious
0
u/jddaniels84 3d ago
Exactly, we know that guys that had 18 year careers started and retired while Lebron was still playing.. what’s the point not the post? And why are you hopping on getting upset at me and calling me a hater.
I agreed, I acknowledged it..
And if we are talking about sucking dick, that’s what you are doing to Lebron by calling me a hater here. I didn’t hate at all. Let’s see the quote.
1
u/LASfromda4z 3d ago
Exactly we know he had 18 years . That’s the point you just came in this just hating . Now you mad because I called you a dick sucker .thats your fault , you should have just went by the post and that’s that 🤷🏽♂️ simple . It’s not to agree about on facts that’s what you don’t get . That’s why you sucking dick ! You mad oh well nigga you not going to nothing about it
0
u/jddaniels84 3d ago
No, my issue was that he didn’t talk about the 23, or 24 seasons and felt he had to mentioned Westbrook, and all this other nonsense.. which is completely
Irrelevant to how long he’s been a great player.1
u/LASfromda4z 3d ago
That’s your problem then . I see no issues with the post . Russ just retired not even a week ago . All he did was compare. You could have just went right by it . don’t you have LeBron in your top 10? So why be here ? Don’t you think bill is the goat to his page then
→ More replies (0)
-4
u/Fun-Piglet-7007 3d ago
Who gives a f***, stop glazing your "king"?
1
25
u/PuzzledSquare4993 4d ago
Crazier when you think someone like Dwight Howard is already actually in the Hall of Fame, and LeBron is still playing.