Happy 41st birthday to LeBron James! Another great milestone in his legendary career, and the Lakers still have to rely on him.

On December 30th Beijing time, the Lakers’ official social accounts shared a photo of LeBron James, accompanied by the message: “Happy Birthday, LeBron!” Both FIBA and prominent U.S. media also celebrated the superstar’s 41st birthday.

LeBron has now reached 41 years old; historically, 31 players have scored in NBA regular-season games after age 40. However, only eight players have scored at age 41 or older, and LeBron is set to become the ninth.

This unique basketball genius of our era will celebrate his birthday during the game against the Pistons, further proving his remarkable career achievements. Naturally, his performance has declined somewhat with age, but regardless of the fluctuating emotions and concerns about his nightly output, he continues to redefine the competitive standards for players his age—in other words, he is making unprecedented history.

“I’m battling Father Time,” LeBron said in an interview on December 29th. “I’d say in the second half of this battle, I’m gaining the upper hand.” Although his first-step explosiveness is no longer what it used to be and his minutes per game have dropped to a career-low 32.9 this season, he still maintains an efficient 50.7% shooting rate, averaging 20.5 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game. These stats are astonishing for a player of his age.

By comparison, before LeBron’s 40th birthday last season, all NBA players over 40 averaged only 6.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. “It’s unbelievable,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said to reporters after practice. “I struggle just to get out of bed and have to inject my knees. My body is worn out. Like the saying goes, ‘use it or lose it,’ once I stop moving, my body deteriorates completely. Luckily, I can still barely reach the rim.”

This is exactly where LeBron surpasses ordinary limits. In his last game before turning 40, he didn’t just reach the rim—he soared high and completed a powerful reverse dunk, scoring 24 points in total.

Although Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the NBA record for total points scored after age 40 with 1,941 points, he played 156 games after turning 40.

So far, LeBron has played 57 games after turning 40, scoring a total of 1,340 points, ranking fourth all-time. Many players only get limited minutes after 40, but LeBron remains the Lakers’ undeniable core. When Luka Doncic is off the court, LeBron leads the offense as a starter. His average of 23.9 points per game after 40 is the highest in history, followed by Michael Jordan’s 22.4 points.

However, this season has not been smooth for LeBron. First, he missed the entire preseason and the first 14 games of the regular season due to sciatic nerve issues—his first time missing a season opener since high school basketball.

LeBron’s return sparked four consecutive Lakers wins, but then his streak of 1,297 straight games scoring in double digits ended—nearly a 19-year run. Yet this game also highlighted his leadership: he passed up a potential game-winning shot to deliver the winning assist instead.

Currently, the Lakers are going through their toughest stretch this season, losing 6 of their last 11 games and 3 of the last 4, prompting a tense team meeting. This largely relates to roster fit and tactical philosophy.

Since LeBron’s return, the Lakers have struggled to find on-court chemistry. Both he and star guard Luka Doncic need the ball to be most effective, but coach Ham has yet to establish a system that allows Doncic to thrive off the ball while keeping LeBron involved, avoiding stretches of passive offense.

“Since LeBron came back, our offense has lacked structure,” Ham admitted. “Too many possessions are disorganized, and that’s on me.”

Fixing this issue is urgent for Ham because if the Lakers collapse this season (currently 20-10, fifth in the West), the offseason will bring an uncertain future, leaving no guaranteed star to pair with Doncic.

Fair or not, LeBron will face plenty of criticism. Some Lakers fans have even called for trading him on social media, but given his trade veto power, that possibility is extremely unlikely.

The reality is, unless LeBron requests a trade before the February 6 deadline, the Lakers will have to keep relying on him this season. The championship window is now, and the Lakers must seize the opportunity—whether by adjusting coaching tactics or making roster moves. Despite his large contract and the roster doubts caused by his presence, LeBron’s contribution to the Lakers has already far exceeded expectations for a player of his age.