LeBron James has just started his 23rd NBA season and is getting closer to retirement every day. The King took a moment to look in the rearview mirror, and to speak about his career best version.
It’s a question that often comes up when we talk about LeBron James: what is the best version of the King? His ultimate bonus? His best season?
It was asked to the King during the last episode of Mind the Game :
“If you ask me what my best season was, the one where I felt the most accomplished as a basketball player, I would say 2018.
During the 2017-18 season, I felt like I could do whatever I wanted on the field. Offensively, defensively, I felt like I had no weaknesses. […] That season, I played all 82 games and more than 100 if we include the Playoffs, I didn’t miss a single game. »
LeBron 2018, these are two words that still give nightmares to fans of the Pacers, Raptors and Celtics.
After a regular season of 82 games and stats of 27.5 points – 8.6 rebounds – 9.1 assists at more than 54% shooting success, the King had an absolutely legendary Playoff campaign, taking the rather limited Cavs to the NBA Finals based on all-time performances: seven games at least 40 points, clutch actions in all directions, two buzzer-beaters, LeBronto, two masterclasses in Game 7… all that even before his 51 points against the Warriors dream team during Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals, in what perhaps represents the best game of his career.
During that 2017-18 season, @KingJames could do no wrong.
Steve and Bron answered YOUR questions on this week’s mailbag episode. Watch on our YouTube, @primevideo or listen wherever you get your podcasts — link in bio. pic.twitter.com/1dr227hVEd
— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) December 9, 2025
If the adventure ends with a sweep of Golden State (thanks Gérard) and a hand injury, LeBron James will have done absolutely EVERYTHING to take Cleveland as far as possible, in a season marked by a lot of turbulence.
As a reminder, it was just after the departure of Kyrie Irving in the summer of 2017, and James had made it clear to his front office that the squad (with Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade etc.) was not competitive enough to play for the title. Between cryptic posts on social networks, very irregular defensive effort and upcoming Free Agency, LeBron used all the pressure tactics necessary to obtain new pieces at the time of the trade deadline. The team was rebalanced (arrivals of Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., George Hill, Rodney Hood) and James then took it to a fourth consecutive championship title in the East.
During this 2017-18 season, LeBron finished second in the MVP standings (behind James Harden), winning the title of MVP of the All-Star Game while breaking Michael Jordan’s record for the greatest number of consecutive games with at least 10 points scored (867). Series which has just ended, at 1,297 matches.
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