Is It Curtain Call for the LeBron James Show?

There comes a certain point in every professional athlete’s career where no matter how resilient, competitive, or capable, time is still the ultimate obstacle.

Just eight months ago, LeBron James was celebrating his 2020 NBA Finals win in the Orlando bubble, bringing home the 17th title for the Los Angeles Lakers and a fourth ring to add to his own repertoire. But last week, James and his team were knocked out of the first round of this season’s playoffs — leaving some fans wondering if this could be the end of an era for the iconic basketball player.

Over the course of his 18 seasons in the league, James has won four NBA Championships with three different teams, a testament to his ability to transform the fortune of any franchise. Throughout his career, he has led his teams to the playoffs a total of 15 out of 18 times. Prior to last Thursday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns, who beat the Lakers in their best-of-seven series, James had never failed to make it past the first round.

With the recent events, conversations surrounding the Lakers team will now be at the center of attention, and questions surrounding the nearly 37-year-old franchise player will arise, as fans have speculated about a potential decline this season. Though this season was shortened from 82 to 72 games because of COVID-19, James also missed more than 25 matches due to a severe ankle injury. It is important to note that prior to the start of the playoffs, he told the press that he did not expect himself to be 100 percent fit before the end of the season due to the quick turnaround time between the 2020 to 2021 season.

Regardless, the 2021 season saw James record a career-low in points per game average, pulling in just 22.3. In a post-game interview, James attributed the Lakers’ early playoff exit to the injury problems throughout the year with Anthony Davis, star forward, missing half the season and re-injuring himself in the decisive defeat against the Suns. James said, “We never got an opportunity to see our full team. We could never fully get into a rhythm.”

James’ own injuries have been a telltale sign that though he has been dominant in the league up to this point, turning 37 is at the end of the day, 37. After appearing to seem invincible for nearly two decades, James’ sprained ankle injury saw him looking less explosive both vertically and laterally upon his return. Bleacher Report notes that even if after an offseason of rest, adjustments and treatments may lead to “another age-defying season…age-defying at this point could also coincide with a decline.”

Giving James the benefit of the doubt, and knowing that he spends more money and time on his body than most athletes, it is unlikely that his physical “decline” will come imminently next year. With that in mind, additional questions concerning the Lakers team makeup are also a concern. It has become more apparent throughout the playoffs that the franchise roster relies heavily on James and AD. However, with this season going the way it has been without the leaders of the team, operations head Rob Pelinka might have to consider that the days of James single-handedly carrying his teammates through several playoff rounds could be over.

Despite being finally defeated in the first round of the playoffs for the first time in his 18-year career, it is hard to deny that LeBron James is still one of the greatest of all time to play the game of basketball. Riddled with injuries in the past three seasons with the Lakers, James’ “decline” was impending. He is evidently not the same player he was a decade ago when he was playing with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers — and nor could he be expected to be.

Having been in the NBA for nearly 20 years, James has faced the same questions time and time again. When faced with a down season, his response is often the following season’s successful performance. Most notably, when he had a groin injury in the first season as a Laker, he countered the next year with a championship win. This time, critics seem to believe that his rocky return has shown that he is no longer indestructible.

The capability of LeBron James to bounce back is part of his legend. But only time will tell if this is merely the latest development in his career or the end of a chapter.