LeBron James is primed for a major campaign in 2021-22 following a season mired in injuries.
Despite the injuries that transpired in March, which plagued James’ health the rest of the season, the 36-year-old star averaged 25.0 points, 7.8 assists and 7.7 rebounds.
Heading into 2021-22, James will have a presumably healthy Anthony Davis, who also suffered multiple lower-leg injuries last year, and newly acquired star Russell Westbrook handling the point.
The Los Angeles Lakers also added several shooters in Wayne Ellington, Carmelo Anthony, Kent Bazemore and more who should aid James a ton in off-ball scenarios.
But James isn’t at the top of the throne in some rankings of the league’s best players. In NBA.com Canada’s ranking of the top-30 players, James came in at No. 3:
LeBron lands at three here, but The King is far from washed.
In fact, in our last ranking, James landed at No. 1, just days before he would go down with the ankle injury that altered the course of his and the Lakers’ season. Despite missing 25 of LA’s last 29 regular-season games, LeBron was full-go for the postseason, where he first led the Lakers past the Warriors in the Seven-Eight Play-In Game and then averaged 23.3 points, 8.0 assists and 7.2 rebounds in six games against the Suns, as he was eliminated in the first round for the first time in his career.
That LeBron is even in the conversation for the top spot ahead of his 19th season is incredible, and he has plenty of motivation to reclaim the throne. With an almost entirely new cast around him, James is primed to make some noise.
Only two players topped James in the ranking: Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks at No. 2 and Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets at No. 1.
It’ll be interesting to see if James can bounce back and reclaim the top spot later on as the new season progresses.