James Worthy Discusses Why Resuming NBA Season Is Important To LeBron James

The 35-year-old LeBron James led the Lakers atop the Western Conference before the pandemic hit and Worthy believes James will be in great shape when the season resumes July 31.

Now that there’s a date for the NBA to resume, LeBron James' quest to win a championship with the Lakers is back on track. 

James Worthy, who won three championships with the Lakers, believes James will be ready to finish what he had started.

“Veteran players, I don’t worry about,” Worthy said on Spectrum SportsNet. “They’ve remained in shape. They’re going to be ready to go. Young guys, you know, they might slip a little bit, but LeBron is focused and he wants this opportunity to win a championship. He thought they may win it had nothing happened. He still believes that.” 

James had been very vocal about his desire for the NBA to return after the season was suspended March 11 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The 35-year-old, who is in his 17th season, was averaging an NBA-best 10.6 assists, 25.7 points and 7.9 rebounds a game for the Lakers, who were atop the Western Conference with a record of 49-14 before the hiatus. 

The Lakers were 8-2 after the All-Star break, with wins against the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks (53-12) and the Clippers (44-20), who are in second place in the Western Conference, 5 1/2 games behind the Lakers. 

As expected, the NBA’s Board of Governors approved the league’s plan to return July 31 at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. 

Twenty-two teams will participate, 13 from the Western Conference and nine from the Eastern Conference. 

James, a three-time NBA champion, will officially have an opportunity to pursue his fourth title. 

"LeBron had been really leading this team," Worthy said. "This is a great opportunity, and I'm sure he didn’t want to miss it with a pandemic. He was hoping they’d get things going, which they are.”