LeBron refutes declining: 'I'm still climbing'

Most players wrap up their careers after 13 seasons, but LeBron James is not like most players.

Fresh off his third championship, James told ESPN's Rachel Nichols he's not declining in any way. The King is only getting stronger as the years tick by.

"I know I'm on the other side of the hill, being that I'm about to be (in my 14th season), but I'm not going down the hill right now. I'm still climbing," James said.

Since joining the Cleveland Cavaliers, James has caught flack for coasting through the regular season in order to preserve himself for the playoffs. But given that he's made the Finals in each of the last six seasons, it's understandable for James to pace himself.

And as evidenced by James' performance in the Finals, the trade-off has clearly worked. He averaged 30.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 2.7 steals, and 2.5 blocks against a 73-win team in the Golden State Warriors to capture Finals MVP honors.