National Basketball Association

Is LeBron James still a top-five NBA player?

Updated Jul. 18, 2022 6:40 p.m. ET

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James dropped 42 points in a Drew League game last weekend, a performance that set the NBA Twittersphere ablaze.

Was James showing everyone that he's not done yet?

James' performance led FOX Sports' Colin Cowherd and Ric Bucher to debate on The Herd With Colin Cowherd whether James is still one of the top-five players in the NBA.

Is LeBron James still a top-five player?

Ric Bucher joins Colin Cowherd on "The Herd" to discuss LeBron James' 42-point performance at The Drew League.

Cowherd was impressed with James' performance, but Bucher didn't want to give too much weight to a Summer League game, saying he didn't see James being able to sustain that performance over an entire season.

"I'm amazed at how twitchy and explosive LeBron still is," Cowher said, saying he's still a top-five player.

The FOX Sports host pointed out that Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Larry Bird all slowed down in the twilight of their careers, while he didn't think James has.

James averaged 30.3 points per game last season, the highest total of his 18-year career. But the Lakers missed the playoffs, going 33-49.

To Bucher, James played in the Drew League to entertain fans, knowing that the Lakers probably aren't a playoff contender next season.

"He can do it in moments ... but the idea that he can do it 40 minutes at both ends of the floor? Those days are well past," Bucher said.

"I just can't elevate him into the top five," Bucher added.

The two also debated whether James is truly making winning his top priority. Bucher said he felt like James was focused on taking the scoring crown last season, knowing the Lakers wouldn't win a title.

"LeBron James consistently makes business decisions, and last year, he made the business decision that 'this is not a team that is going to get me a title, but maybe I can get a different title, a scoring title," Bucher said.