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LeBron James touched upon the notion of retirement, though he stopped short of offering a specific timeline for when he might hang up his sneakers.
“I recognize that I’m on the other side of the peak,” said the 40-year-old forward during his guest appearance on the ‘360 With Speedy’ podcast. “There’s no way I’m playing another 23 years, that much is certain, and I’m not looking at another decade either.”
“I’m definitely preparing for the conclusion of my career. However, I’m not there yet,” he continued, reflecting on his impressive 22 seasons in the NBA as a four-time champion.
As he readies for his 23rd season after being the top pick in the 2003 draft, the upcoming 2025-26 season will mark his eighth year with the Los Angeles Lakers, following a decade with the Cleveland Cavaliers and four years with the Miami Heat.
Last season, he played 75 games across the Regular Season and Playoffs, averaging 24.5 points, 8.0 assists, 7.9 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game. Clearly, he shows no signs of decline, but retirement is on the horizon.
“Retirement is approaching,” he stated, “it’s just not right now.”
During the conversation he filmed while in China, LeBron discussed a range of subjects, including his controversial claim to have foreseen Kobe Bryant’s legendary 81-point game in 2006, and he named childhood league rival Derrick Tarver as the toughest player he’s ever had to defend.
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