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LeBron James has reflected on a potential retirement timeline but did not commit to a specific date for when he plans to hang up his sneakers.
“I recognize that I’m past the peak of my career,” the 40-year-old forward stated during an episode of the ‘360 With Speedy’ podcast. “I’m certainly not going to play another 23 years, that’s a definite, and ten more years is out of the question too.”
“I’m definitely moving towards the conclusion of my career, but I’m not there yet,” he continued, highlighting his status as a four-time NBA champion with 22 seasons of experience in the league.
As he prepares for his 23rd season following being the first overall pick in the 2003 draft, the upcoming 2025-26 season will mark his eighth with the Los Angeles Lakers after spending 11 years with the Cleveland Cavaliers and four years with the Miami Heat.
In the previous season, playing in a total of 75 games between the Regular Season and the Playoffs, LeBron averaged 24.5 points, 8.0 assists, 7.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game. He shows no signs of slowing down, though he acknowledges that retirement is looming.
“Retirement is on the horizon,” he stated, “but it’s not happening just yet.”
During the interview, which took place during his recent trip to China, LeBron discussed various other topics as well, including the controversy surrounding his claim to have predicted Kobe Bryant’s iconic 81-point game in 2006 and naming his childhood league opponent, Derrick Tarver, as the toughest player he has ever defended.
