"He does look old"- Gilbert Arenas explains why LeBron James no longer looks unstoppable

When modern-day fans watch LeBron James, many continue to be amazed that, even at the age of 40, he remains better than the majority of players in the league. It is not only his overall production but also his athletic ability that stands out, as whenever King James decides to charge toward the rim, there appears to be no defender capable of stepping in his way and preventing him from scoring.

However, Gilbert Arenas, who played in the league during LBJ's physical prime, believes that the four-time MVP is slowing down and beginning to show signs of age.

Arenas can see James slowing down

For numerous defenders, even those who stand seven feet tall, it is hardly imaginable to step in front of James when he is barreling toward the rim. However, Gil, who faced the four-time MVP during both his Cleveland and Miami years, understands that while LeBron is still agile and fast, he is no longer as unstoppable as he was in his prime. Put simply, according to Arenas, this is precisely where James' physical decline became noticeable.

Although it's almost impossible to find flaws in LeBron's playmaking, where he keeps leaning on his basketball IQ to elevate teammates and boost their production, Arenas sees the real signs of decline elsewhere. He believes LeBron's athletic movements on the court are the clearest indicators that he's starting to slow down. Whether it is his vertical lift, explosiveness or pure energy, Gil feels that the 21-time All-Star's body occasionally gives out or fails to show the same athletic burst that once defined him.

"So when people say, 'Is he declining?' We was in a league where when he jumped, his chin was over the rim. Now, you see this, it looked good for them because they don't remember the guy who was looking at the rim, seeing him at the rim, now we see him on the fastbreak, we can see, yeah, he's slow," Arenas said on his podcast. "He used to be 110/100 speed. Now he's probably 91-92. This LeBron? He does look old."

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LeBron is well aware of his shortcomings

If there is one player who fully understands where his strengths lie and knows where his voids are beginning to show, it is LeBron himself. He does not need anyone to point out where he is falling short. For instance, as the game shifted increasingly toward 3-point shooting and James realized he needed to improve his efficiency beyond the arc, he made the necessary adjustments. As a result, he has been shooting over 37 percent from beyond the arc across the past two seasons.

Therefore, while LeBron may no longer be as agile or athletically elite as he once was, he will continue to find other meaningful ways to make a winning impact. Thus, that could be his best way to contribute on a team that is clearly being led by the young backcourt duo of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves on the scoring end.

Related: Kevin Love reveals how LeBron elevated him as a player when he joined the Cavs: "I had bad habits"

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 21, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.