Novak Djokovic, 38, is to tennis what LeBron James, 41, is to NBA. Two legends who are still making their presence felt despite the hurdle of age standing in their way. One is a 24-time grand slam king and the other is playing in his 23rd season of the league. Time and again, these two athletes have shown great admiration for each other on various occasions.
After securing his 24th Major title at the 2023 US Open, Djokovic famously talked about James’ longevity in the NBA despite growing age. The response came after the Serbian tennis legend proved the doubters wrong himself by winning a slam at 36.
“I mean, I know I’m not the only one. I know there is a lot of great champions in different sports that thrive on this kind of approach to perfect themselves, their approach, their game, their performance, their recovery, every single day. On and on. That’s why LeBron James still keeps going at his age,” he said while appreciating the Lakers forward’s undeniable impact in the league for two decades.
Saturday night was no different as James once again proved his greatness. The Los Angeles Lakers won their ninth straight game, defeating Orlando Magic in a last moment thriller, 105-104, thanks to guard Luke Kennard’s epic three-pointer with 0.6 seconds left. Unsurprisingly, MVP contenderLuka Doncic once again shined, scoring 33 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23)Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
(Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)
But the highlight of this game was none other than King James as he etched his name in the history books. With his appearance against the Magic on Saturday night, LeBron James made the record of playing most NBA games ever. It was his 1,612th career game since he first made his debut back in 2003. Speaking of performance, he scored 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
Once the news of his NBA record went viral, former ATP World No.1 Djokovic didn’t waste time in congratulating him. But he did it in a special way. Sharing a post on James’ new milestone, on Sunday, the Serbian tennis star underlined the 41-year-old’s growing legacy. He simply wrote, “LeBrongevity”
James also responded quickly to Djokovic’s gesture. While reposting the latter’s Instagram story, King James showed his gratefulness to the Serbian and commented with two emojis of folded hands.
After securing a ninth consecutive win, the Lakers and James will look to keep the momentum going when they face this season’s No.1 team Detroit Pistons on Monday inside the Little Caesars Arena.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.