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LeBron James has had many challenges in his career.
These range from having to get past teams such as the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs to battling with great players like the late Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant.
However, there is one challenge that James has faced and overcome that he does not get credit for. This is adapting to the three-point era.
LeBron James was drafted way back in 2003. This was a time where NBA players shot more mid-range shots than three-point shots. At most players would take between four to five three-point shots per game now top players take double that between eight and ten per game.
From the 2013/14 season to the 2019/20 season is when the three-point shot started being taken a lot more by players, with Stephen Curry starting the trend.
In this time, LeBron James has shot on average 4.8 three pointers per game and made 1.7 of them giving him a percentage of 35.2%.
Before this, from the 2003-2004 to the 2012-2013 season, James shot 4 three pointers per game and made 1.3 of them giving him a percentage of 33.7%. This included the one season where James shot over 40% from three.
If LeBron continues to maintain his 35% percentage by the time his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers expires, he will have made over 300 more three pointers just from that two percent improvement.
Alongside this however James has still managed to arguably be the best player in the world throughout this three-point era.
He is constantly in the conversation for the best player in the NBA and usually if he is not first, he is usually put second and lowest third.
With this, LeBron has consistently been in the MVP race this era as well, to achieve this he must have adapted with the league in some way.
Players like Curry get the credit for changing the NBA with the three point shot and that’s understandable, but why can’t we give LeBron the credit he deserves for adapting to the changes while still being a top player in his 17th season?
