LeBron James is in year 23 and with every game comes a new opportunity for him to make history. As he inches closer to the NBA's all-time most games played record, James is still finding ways to not only contribute on the court, but be one of the Los Angeles Lakers' best players.

With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves playing at high levels there's been less pressure on James to take over games, but that doesn't mean he can't take over when need be. 

That's the case especially when one of those two elite players isn't on the court, as was the case when Doncic sat out the Lakers' 124-104 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, which opened the door for James to light up the court again. 

James had 28 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in 35 minutes while shooting 10-20 from the field, and with that line he became the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double at 41 years old, surpassing the previous record set by a 40-year-old Karl Malone in 2003. 

James is averaging 22 points, 5.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists this season with the Lakers and he's earned his 22nd consecutive All-Star bid in the process. James may have had a delayed start to the season due to sciatica, but he's showed no real signs of slowing down despite his age.

James has been the best player of his generation since he first stepped onto the court in 2003 and he's continued that high level ever since. His abilities on the court have always been impressive, but as he keeps going his longevity has stood out as the most impressive thing about his game in 2026. 

Just about every player from James' era has retired, with Chris Paul being the most recent example. Yet, James is not only still on the court, but still a starter and one of the biggest contributors to the Lakers roster as they fight to make the playoffs yet again. 

There's no telling exactly when James' career will come to an end, but his two-plus decades of greatness are drawing to a close at some point. Whenever that time comes, it's clear that the end of James' career won't be due to any lack of production, but rather him going out on his own terms. 

James is not just a living legend, he's an actively playing legend and he stands out as one of the best players on the court whenever he's active. Every game is a new opportunity for greatness and like always, James is ready to rise to the occasion.