Regardless of his achievements, LeBron James is one of the most divisive figures in league history, seemingly attracting as many doubters and critics as he does fans.
On Wednesday, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas addressed James’ detractors, urging them to be more appreciative of what he’s still doing in Year 23.
Gilbert Arenas Marvels at LeBron James’ Playoff Production
The Los Angeles Lakers are severely undermanned in their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, playing without Luka Dončić (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique). Despite these major absences, they have managed to go up 2-0 and are threatening to run away with the series.
Plenty of their early postseason success can be attributed to 41-year-old James, who, despite his age, remains the leader of his squad.
James’ performance has been so impressive that Arenas, who was an All-Star from 2005 to 2007, is campaigning for people to stop taking him for granted.
“I think what happens is so much hate goes on in the air, you don’t look at the value of a player and how gifted or good they are in real time,” Arenas said on “The Gilbert Arenas Show.”
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Arenas later predicted that James would likely be worthy of a roster spot for several more years. He also added that in the 22-time All-Star’s final season in the league, he’s probably still going to average 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists per game.
Then the 44-year-old shifted his focus from a hypothetical future scenario to what James is actually doing now.
“He’s the best old player that we ever had. He’s the most dominant old player that we ever had. You can’t take that away from him,” Arenas stressed. “… So, appreciate what he’s out there doing, averaging 23, 10, and 8.”
Arenas reasoned that those numbers prove James is still dominating the playoffs. He then claimed that if the younger version of the four-time MVP were playing today, the current generation of stars would be powerless to stop him.
Gilbert Arenas says people need to appreciate what LeBron is doing this playoffs:
“The age is just a thing you get to use because nobody has done it at this age. He’s the best old player we ever had. He’s the most dominant old player we ever had. You can’t take that away from… pic.twitter.com/XGGZS7hro9
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) April 22, 2026
During the regular season, James appeared in 60 games, averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists a night. He has continued his unprecedented production for his age into the postseason, shouldering a heavy load for a team missing two of its go-to scoring options.
In Game 1 against Houston, James registered a double-double with 19 points and 13 assists. He nearly secured double-figure rebounds as well, grabbing 8 boards to go along with 2 steals and a block.
In Game 2, he delivered a vintage performance as he dueled against Kevin Durant, who returned after missing the first contest of the series. In that showdown, James posted 28 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal, atypical numbers for a player north of 40.
