LeBron James’ basketball endurance has been so extraordinary that his 20-year streak of All-NBA appearances was derailed last season by sciatica, an ailment that tends to be associated with middle age as one of the many joys of growing old. After James missed the start of last season to manage that back pain, he was a long shot to clear the league’s mandated games-played threshold, with absences here and there eventually ruling him out of year-end honors. Aside from the personal suffering, it’s a hysterical thought that a still-great LeBron could be upended by a problem your dad might complain about flaring up over the phone.

Confronted by his basketball mortality on multiple fronts, LeBron’s offseason was spent talking through why he is still doing all of this, a question concerned less about playing under the lights than the prep and recovery and hooplah. At 41, that means hours on the trainer’s table, plunges in the cold tub, offseason workouts, early morning shootarounds, the discipline to eat and drink optimally. But none of those things have deterred or taken joy from LeBron, who promised that the only thing he won’t miss when it’s over is time away from family.

“There are things that come with being a professional athlete, being away from the family a lot, being away from your kids a lot, sacrificing a lot of time where you can be with loved ones and things of that nature,” LeBron said. “Middle son right now starting his sophomore campaign in Tucson. My daughter started middle school. My oldest son, former teammate, is starting his third year in Los Angeles. And my wife is doing so many unbelievable things right now in her own personal journey.”

“I didn’t leave my family to lose in the second round, I know that,” James added later.

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