LeBron James’ latest accomplishment a true testament to his work ethic

LeBron James could’ve been a good player, but his determination to always strive for greatness is what helped him get to this point in his storied career.

In what was ultimately another nail in the postseason coffin for the Los Angeles Lakers, this time at the hands of the Denver Nuggets by a score of 115-99, there was still much to celebrate at Staples Center Wednesday night.

With an and-one layup midway through the second quarter, LeBron James moved past the great Michael Jordan for fourth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with a whopping 32,293 points and counting.

Following the game, LeBron wasn’t one to shy away from what was a truly historic accomplishment for one of the game’s greatest players. As a kid growing up in Akron, he idolized MJ the same way so many others his age did. To then pass him on the all-time scoring list was something he never could’ve dreamed of, a sentiment he clearly understood in the following timeout.

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Coming out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School back in the summer of 2003, James was the most hyped teenage athlete of all time. You know the background: Games shown on ESPN, posing on the cover of Sports Illustrated dubbed “The Chosen One” at just 17 years of age.

There was so much to live up to, even the craziest of dreamt of scenarios couldn’t possibly have envisioned what was to follow over the next 16 years: top 10 all-time in points and assists. Four MVP trophies. Three championships. Ending Cleveland’s 52-year title drought. The list goes on and on.

The core of what LeBron does on the basketball court has always been based around his God-given abilities. The man has the IQ of a supercomputer, passing abilities on par with some of the greatest floor generals ever to go along with incredible speed and athleticism, all stuffed into that chiseled 6’8” who-actually-knows-how-much-he-weighs frame.

This isn’t to discredit all James has accomplished in his Hall of Fame career; quite the opposite, in fact. The NBA has seen so many raw and dynamic young athletes make it to the league almost solely off their physical traits, and yet only a select few possess the understanding that a 40-inch vertical isn’t enough to succeed in the league.

LeBron has always been wired just a little bit differently though. How many guys do you see playing at this high of a level at this stage in the career, spending around $1 million a year to keep his body in shape? Fighting the urge to lift some weights during his vacation time? Workouts after back-to-backs and incredibly efficient all-around performances? He’s never cheated the game, and it’s rewarded him in ways he could’ve never imagined bouncing from house to house as a kid growing up in the inner city.

To say he’s lived up to the hype is a massive understatement. It didn’t seem possible, but James has exceeded everyone’s wildest expectations as one of the greatest NBA players of all-time with an even bigger influence off the court.

Becoming a legend doesn’t just happen by accident, though. It takes a day in, day out effort with a constant drive and pursuit to be the best possible player you can be, which includes a number of difficult sacrifices most just aren’t willing to make.

Based on the attributes he had coming out of high school, LeBron still probably would’ve been a very good player capable of making multiple All-Star Games and maybe even winning a Finals MVP trophy, but it is and has always been his mentality towards the game that’s helped get him to where he is today — past Jordan and still climbing, with a career unlike any other.