Stats Don’t Lie: LeBron IS Enjoying the Best Year 15 Season

• LeBron James seems to be aging in reverse as he posts some of the best numbers in his career
• How does LeBron’s year 15 production stack up with the superstars that came before him?
• Is LeBron’s prime longer than those of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kobe Bryant?

LeBron James has spent so much time patting himself on the back this season that he’s in danger of coming down with a repetitive stress injury. The four-time MVP put his humility aside once again on Tuesday night to gush about his latest performance. “I’m like fine wine,” he told reporters. “I get better with age.”

It was just the latest moment of hubris in a season that has also included self congratulatory Instagram messages peppered with the hashtag #YEAR15 and personal declarations that he’s the best player in the world.

Hyperbole aside, is LeBron having the best season of any player in their 15th year in the league? We’ve broken down the numbers to see how his current production compares to five other superstars from years past.

LeBron James

We could tell you all about how spectacular LeBron has been this season, but we’ll let him handle the duties instead. “I’m probably at an all-time high,” he said following a 113-108 win over the Nuggets in which he finished with 39 points, eight rebounds, and ten assists. “[it’s] just because of my body, my mind, the way I go out and approach the game. And then, just the grace of God, giving me the ability to do this. I’m blessed, and I never take it for granted.”

For the record, LeBron has earned Player of the Month honors three times this season, is second in the league in plus/minus, third in assists, fourth in points, and he’s been averaging a triple-double since February 1st. Admit it, you haven’t even been to the gym since February 1st.

LeBron James isn’t just enjoying a great year for a player in his 15th season, he’s enjoying a great year period.

Sure, the Cavs are limping along at 39-28, but his only All-Star teammate has been injured since late January and LeBron has had to do all the heavy lifting himself. King James isn’t just enjoying a great year for a player in his 15th season, he’s enjoying a great year period.

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant was still at the top of his game in 2010-11, when the 32-year-old averaged 25.3 points and was named to the All-NBA First Team, the All Defensive First Team, and finished fourth in MVP voting. Bryant had four 40-points games that season and showed he was still the league’s alpha dog when he won his fourth NBA All-Star Game MVP after leading the Western Conference to victory with 37 points, 14 rebounds, and three steals.

Was he still an All-World jerk and a pain in the ass to teammates and management alike? You bet, but the greats often are. The Black Mamba received his comeuppance in the playoffs that season when the Lakers were swept out of the second round by the Mavericks.

Moses Malone

Like LeBron and Kobe, Moses Malone also entered the NBA directly from high school and was still a spry 33 during his 15th season in the league. The Chairman of the Boards averaged 20.2 points and 11.8 rebounds for the Hawks that season and finished 13th in MVP voting.

Although his numbers were respectable, they pale in comparison to his three MVP seasons when he terrorized defenders with his brute force and cat-like quickness. 33-year-old Mo was still an All-Star, but he was already five-to-six years removed from his beastly prime.

Karl Malone

The Mailman was still delivering on a nightly basis during the 1999-2000 season when he averaged 25.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in 35.9 minutes per game. Those numbers were actually better than his MVP performance from a year before during the NBA’s strike-shortened season.

Malone was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 1999-2000, finished fourth in MVP voting, and led the Jazz to 55 wins and their 17th consecutive playoff appearance. He also became the first player in league history whose biceps were larger than his waist, so he had that going for him too.

Wilt Chamberlain

Of all the players on our list, Wilt Chamberlain comes closest to matching LeBron’s year 15 heroics. The Big Dipper had one of his finest all-around seasons in 1971-72 when he averaged 14.8 points, 19.2 rebounds, and four assists and led the Lakers to a 33-game winning streak and an NBA championship. And he still had the energy to routinely bang stewardesses at half time.

The 35-year-old Chamberlain caped off the season by earning Finals MVP honors and finishing third in regular season MVP voting.

The 35-year-old Chamberlain caped off the season by earning Finals MVP honors, finishing third in regular season MVP voting, and being named to the All Defensive First Team for just the second time in his career. He hung around for one more year before retreating to his 7,158-square-foot man cave in the hills above Bel-Air.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Yup, another Laker. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was already 36-years-old during his 15th season, but he was still a key cog in the L.A.’s Showtime offense. The Hall of Famer made his 14th All-Star team, and his ninth All-NBA First Team, and finished fourth in MVP voting after averaging 21.5 points and 7.3 boards.

Cap continued to chug along in the playoffs that season, averaging 23.9 points and 8.2 rebounds in 21 games before bowing out to the Celtics in the Finals. He would stick around for five more productive years and would finish as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

Conclusion

Don’t tell LeBron, but he’s actually right. Other players enjoyed more team success in their 15th season, but no one stuffed the stat sheet as consistently as LeBron is doing in 2017-18. His basketball IQ and feel for the game are at an all-time high and, unlike Kareem or Moses Malone, he has yet to lose a step. He’s still just as quick as the day he entered the league and is arguably stronger and more agile. Enjoy LeBron and his bluster while you can because we’re all witnessing history.