The NBA has never seen someone quite like LeBron James. Regarded as an elite high-school propsect, James elected to forego an NCAA career and jumped straight to the NBA at 18 years old. He quickly turned the Cleveland Cavaliers into NBA Finals contenders, but he had to leave for the Miami Heat in order to taste his first championship success; after returning to Cleveland and leading the Cavs to the 2016 NBA title, James moved west to join the Los Angeles Lakers, whom he led to a championship in the 2020 bubble.
Now 40 years old, James has been beset by speculation that he is “slowing down” as he enters uncharted territory for a player of his caliber. Having set the NBA’s points and minutes records — not to mention having shared the court with his son Bronny earlier this season — many are wondering whether LeBron is nearing the end of the line as it pertains to his stellar 22-year NBA career.
But James is not going to let go of the NBA so easily; he has dedicated more than half his life to the pursuit of basketball greatness, which he long ago achieved. That doesn’t matter; James wants to win a fifth NBA championship, which would put him in rarefied air with only 26 other players in league history.
In response to recent speculation about his potential retirement or desire to end his career with a team other than the Lakers, James on Monday moved to quash the rumors during his birthday media availability.
“I would love for it to end here,” James said of wrapping his career in Los Angeles when the time comes.
“I came here to finish the last stage of my career and to finish it off here.”
As to how long the “last stage” could last, James further told reporters that he thinks he could play “five to seven” more years — but he qualified that explosive statement by saying he would retire before then, and that his retirement decision would be final, unlike that of someone like Michael Jordan.
James has helped the Lakers to an 18-13 record in 2024/25, which is good for fifth in the Western Conference. Their next game? A home game against none other than LeBron’s hometown Cavaliers, who boast the NBA’s best record at 27-4.
