Later Tuesday, LeBron James will become the first player in NBA history to play in a game as a teenager and in his 40s.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer turned 40 on Monday, and in his record-tying 22nd season, he’s his old self.
He’s averaging 23.5 points per game, which is his lowest since his rookie season, but his 9 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game are better than his career averages.
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LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on December 1, 2024 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Jamie Sabau/NBAE via Getty Images)
No, he’s no longer the best player in the NBA, but he’s still producing numbers that many would kill to have, and he says that could happen for a while longer.
James hasn’t shied away from the idea that he’s close to retiring, but he did say Monday that his eventual retirement “will not be because I can’t play this game at a high level.”
“To be honest, if I really wanted to, I could probably play this game at a high level for another five or seven years,” James said. “But I’m not going to do that.”
He also insisted that once he hangs it, it’s over.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dribbles against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first quarter at Chase Center. (Images by Darren Yamashita-Imagn)
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“No, no, no, no, no,” he said when asked if a return would be on the table. “I’ll probably miss him a lot. But no, I won’t leave and then come back.”
James currently has a player option worth nearly $53 million next season. Earlier this season, their son, Bronny, made his NBA debut, making the Jameses not only the first father duo to be active at the same time, but also the first duo to be teammates. .
LeBron James #23 and Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers on the court for the first time during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on October 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
The four-time NBA champion also became the all-time minutes leader earlier this season, surpassing another record once held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
