Later on Tuesday, LeBron James He would become the first player in NBA history to play a game in his teens and 40s.
the The best NBA scorers of all time He turned 40 on Monday, and in his record-breaking 22nd season, he's the same.
He is averaging 23.5 points per game, 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. (Jimmy Sabaugh/NBAE via Getty Images)
No, he's no longer the best player in the NBA, but he's still producing numbers that might be hard to come by — and he says that could happen for a while longer.
James He was not ashamed Of the idea that he is somewhat close to retirement, but he said 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 to seven years if I wanted to,” James said. “But I won't do that.”
He was also adamant that once he stuck it, it was over.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dribbles against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first quarter at Chase Center. (Photos by Darren Yamashita-Imagine)
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In response to a question about whether a return was on the table, he said: “No, no, no, no, no.” “I'm going to miss hell for sure. But no, I'm not going away and coming back.”
James currently has a player option worth about $53 million next season. Earlier this season, his son, Bronny, made his NBA debut, making James 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 take 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)
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The four-time NBA champion also became the all-time leader earlier this season, surpassing another record once held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
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