LeBron James claims playing 82 games in modern era is tougher than in Michael Jordan’s era

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LeBron James believes completing an 82-game NBA season is more physically demanding now than it was during Michael Jordan’s era.

LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers forward and four-time NBA champion, discussed how the modern NBA compares to the league of the 1980s and 1990s.

James said the speed of today’s NBA has changed the physical toll placed on players throughout the season.

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LeBron James explains why the modern NBA season is harder​

LeBron James said changes in pace and style have fundamentally altered what it means to play an 82-game schedule. He stressed that comparisons with earlier eras often overlook how much the sport has evolved.

Speaking on the Mind the Game podcast, James explained why he feels today’s players face a different type of strain across a full season.

“The game is different. I want people and our fans to understand that playing 82 games in the 80s and 90s is not the same as playing 82 games in the 2020s. It’s just not,” James said.

“The way we play. The level of pace. The level of the speed we’re playing at, it’s a different game now. It’s a totally different game,” James said.

He added that spacing has also reshaped how injuries occur compared to previous generations.

“When I first came in the league, some of the biggest concern for injuries was like a high ankle sprain,” James said. “You was afraid to step on somebody’s ankle because there were just four or five guys sitting in the paint.”

How LeBron James compares injury risks across eras​

LeBron James explained that the spread floor has shifted injury concerns away from contact in the paint and toward soft tissue issues.

“Now that’s really much, you don’t see that. The game is so spread open. There’s so much pace,” James said.

He noted that the types of injuries players deal with today reflect those changes. “Now you see the new high ankle sprain is the calf,” James said.

Despite the physical demands, James said modern players still want to be available throughout the season.

“I just want the fans to understand the game is a little different and as NBA players we definitely want to be out there as much as possible,” James said.

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