Paul George inspired by LeBron James' longevity in NBA

As Paul George has gotten older, he's seen the value in taking care of his body

Every young NBA player thinks they're invincible until that first injury happens. Paul George was one of those young players who had that harsh reality fall on him.

In an interview with GQ, George spoke about how his priorities have changed when it comes to recovery and working on his body.

"When I was a young guy, definitely not," George said to Emily Abbate. "I didn’t believe in being sore. I thought I was just going to be elite forever. But then you look at guys that have longevity like LeBron, and the amount of work he puts into his body and the recovery that he does—I was at a crossroads. Then I got an injury and I realized I needed to take care of my body. As I got older, I was seeing more wear and tear. Also, when I'm done playing this game, I want to be able to do normal things and not hurt from them. So that means these days I’m spending time with my Theragun. My recovery pump. I’m getting in the cold tub. All of that."

Paul George is no stranger to injuries. He suffered one of the most gruesome injuries fans have ever seen when he broke his tibia and fibula in his foot during a Team USA scrimmage in 2014. Four years later, George had to go through double shoulder surgery to repair torn labrums. 

As amazing as LeBron James is at basketball, his track record of availability is even more amazing. His longevity and ability to perform at a high level is something that no one can match, and something that every player should look to emulate. Paul George understands this and hopes to have a lengthy career of his own.