LeBron James is setting his sights on a historic 23rd NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers, pushing back retirement talk despite acknowledging the end of his career is approaching. The 40-year-old basketball star, who turns 41 in December, made his position clear at Lakers media day.
“I’m excited about today,” James said during the Lakers’ media day at their training complex. “I’m excited about the opportunity to be able to play the game that I love for another season. However the journey lays out this year, I’m super-invested, because I don’t know when the end is. I know it’s a lot sooner than later.”
James will become the first player in NBA history to play 23 seasons when he steps on the court for the Lakers’ season opener against the Golden State Warriors on October 21. This milestone further cements his legacy as one of basketball’s most durable and consistent stars.
Despite his age, James continues to perform at an elite level. Last season, he averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game while playing in 70 contests. These numbers earned him a spot on the All-NBA second team, marking his 21st consecutive season receiving this honor.
James sparked speculation about his future on October 7 when he posted a cryptic video on social media teasing “the decision of all decisions” with the hashtag #TheSecondDecision. The post referenced his infamous 2010 TV special where he announced leaving Cleveland for Miami. However, the announcement turned out to be an advertisement for Hennessy cognac rather than a retirement declaration.
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“This fall, I’m going to be taking my talents to Hennessy V.S.O.P,” James said in the ad, mimicking his famous 2010 phrase. The campaign features a limited-edition orange bottle with James’ name and signature “crowning” gesture.
The teaser caused ticket prices for the Lakers’ final regular-season home game to soar on secondary markets, with prices jumping from $85 to as high as $955 on various platforms as fans speculated this might be James’ farewell season.
When asked about possibly playing with both his sons in the NBA – his oldest son Bronny is already with the Lakers as a backup point guard, while his younger son Bryce is beginning his freshman year at the University of Arizona – James made it clear he’s on his own timeline.
“I’m not waiting on Bryce,” James said. “I don’t know what his timeline is. He’s his own young man now. He’s down in Tucson. We’ll see what happens this year, next year. He has his own timeline, I’ve got my timeline, and I don’t know if they quite match up.”
James picked up his $52.6 million player option for the current season, and his agent Rich Paul has publicly stated that James wants to play for a championship contender in his remaining seasons. The Lakers have supplemented their roster with additions like Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia to support the core duo of James and Luka Doncic.
“It’s pretty cool to know how many miles I’ve got and still be able to play at a high level,” James said. “For me, age is kind of just a number, but it is reality, too. You look at the history of the game, there’s not been many guys at my age, especially going into Year 23, that have been able to play at a level like that.”
As James enters this historic season, he remains focused on the present – building the Lakers into a title contender and adding to his legacy rather than planning his exit from the game.
“I’m excited about getting to work,” James said, “and I’m excited to be able to see what we can do.”