NBA rookie, 19, not afraid to play against LeBron James: ‘He still has to guard me, too’

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Cody Williams is just 19 years old and has yet to play in his first NBA game. He is also more than half the age of the association’s oldest player in LeBron James.

But James, who made his NBA debut more than a whole year before Williams was even born, is defeating Father Time. In his 21st NBA season, he averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game; those numbers are close to his career stats of 27.1-7.4-7.5.

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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James smiles after scoring during the first half against the Denver Nuggets, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Surely, when Williams was growing up, he didn’t imagine that James, who turns 40 this year, would still be playing. But James continues to defy logic.

The NBA superstar remains the biggest name in the sport, which could lead to some youngins getting starstruck when they share the floor with him.

But not Williams.

“I’m in the NBA for a reason. He still has to guard me, too,” Williams said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.

Cody Williams of Colorado is shown during the second-round NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament game against Marquette at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on March 24, 2024. (Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Williams was the 10th selection of the Utah Jazz out of Colorado, where he averaged 11.9 points per game on 55.2% shooting and 41.5% from three.

He admits it will be “cool” to play against “the legend.”

“But also, I’m in the NBA. I was drafted at 10 for a reason,” he said. “I’m not going to be starstruck at all; going to obviously respect him but going to go at him and let him know I’m supposed to be there, too.”

James recently re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-year deal. If he calls it a career after that expires, he would have played 24 NBA seasons, from age 18 to 42.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill/File)

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James and Vince Carter are the only players to ever play in four separate decades, but after Dec. 30 this year, James will be the only person to play in the NBA in both his teens and his 40s.

He would be the first athlete to do so in the Big 4 leagues since Alex Rodriguez.

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