LeBron James has made it clear that his retirement is on the horizon, but not immediate.
During an appearance on the “360 With Speedy” podcast, James directly addressed the speculation. “I know I’m on the other side of the hump. I’m not about to play another 23 years, that’s for damn sure, and I’m not about to play another 10,” James said, via ESPN. “I’m definitely gearing up to where the end is. I’m not there yet. Retirement is coming, it is coming — it’s just not here just yet.”
The Los Angeles Lakers forward will enter his 23rd NBA season at age 40. His decision to continue comes after another milestone-filled campaign where he proved his production has not dipped despite his age.
James exercised his player option for the 2025–26 season, completing the final year of his two-year, $104 million deal. The contract includes a no-trade clause, giving him full control of his immediate future.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently said on The Hoop Collective that he has repeatedly heard “this might be the last year,” though he noted that James remains capable of playing at an elite level if healthy.
The 2024–25 season added to James’ already historic résumé. He tied Vince Carter for the most NBA seasons played, passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for career minutes, and became the oldest player to record consecutive triple-doubles.
In January, James passed Michael Jordan for the most 30-point games in league history. By February, he became the oldest player to score 40 or more in a game while also surpassing 2,500 made three-pointers.
March brought two more milestones: surpassing 50,000 career points across regular season and playoffs combined, and delivering his first game-winning buzzer-beater as a Laker in a victory over the Indiana Pacers.
However, the Lakers’ postseason ended in the first round for the second straight year. James sprained his left knee in the decisive Game 5 against Minnesota but is expected to be fully ready for training camp.
The four-time champion will begin this season alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, and his son Bronny James, all under second-year head coach JJ Redick. The father-son pairing adds another layer of intrigue to what could ultimately be his farewell campaign.
James’ career averages of 27 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game remain among the most dominant all-time.
