At 38 years old, LeBron James continues to show no signs of physical decline as he approaches his 20th NBA season in the NBA. During a recent game between the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, the moment became even more poignant when Jabari Smith Jr., a 19-year-old Rockets rookie, reminded James that he had played against his father in the Lakers’ star’s very first NBA game.

The touching moment occurred at the Staples Center (Crypto.com Arena), before James went on to put up a season-high 48 points. After the game, James reflected, “It made me feel extremely old when Jr. told me that...I just feel extremely blessed to be able to play this game and touch multiple generations.”

The Lakers win meant that James had faced eight fathers and sons in his career, beginning with the first time he faced the fathers and his recent matchups vs. their sons. Notable fathers and sons included Rick Brunson, the father of Jalon, who played against LeBron in 2003 and 2022; Adrian and AJ Griffin, the father and son James faced in 2004 and 2023; and Kenyon Martin, the father of KJ who squared off against James in 2004 and 2023.

As James pursues Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, he took a moment to joke about the personal significance of playing against the sons of his former opponents, saying, “I've had the opportunity to play against several father-son pairs and it makes me feel like crap!” Despite the sentiment, James remains a living testament to what we’re all capable of achieving with hard work and dedication, never letting age stand in his way.