Few players in professional sports can hold off Father Time for over two decades, but that is exactly what Los Angeles Lakers superstar forward LeBron James has been able to do as he is still going strong ahead of his 40th birthday in December.
Although James has frequently acknowledged that the end of his playing career in the NBA is drawing near, there is no set timeline on when he will retire, as he seems to be taking a similar approach to the one superstar quarterback Tom Brady had during the end of his time in the NFL.
Even though it seems like a stretch that James can play until 45, like Brady did, while still being productive, it doesn’t seem beyond the realm of possibility, as he’s been able to avoid serious injury while taking care of his body like few have been able to do in the NBA.
This offseason, James re-signed with the Lakers on a one-and-one deal, where the upcoming season is locked in but there is a player option for next season, meaning he could either stay for one more year, choose to leave Los Angeles and play elsewhere, or call it a career.
ESPN insider Dave McMenamin recently chimed in on James’ timeline for retirement and said that when the future Hall of Famer intends to walk away, it won’t be a surprise.
“When it’s the final march for LeBron … we’re all gonna know,” McMenamin said, via NBA on ESPN.
"When it's the final march for LeBron … we're all gonna know."@mcten on how LeBron will approach the end of his NBA career ? pic.twitter.com/cpgW6obDQO
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 13, 2024
With the Lakers expected to be a middle-of-the-pack team in the Western Conference this season, there’s no telling how that will impact James’ decision, as Los Angeles will likely find it challenging to compete for a championship.
If the team starts to struggle, it could speed up the timeline for James wanting to retire, but everything remains up in the air as he seems determined to play with his son Bronny James and keep going the way he has since entering the league in 2003.
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