On his 40th birthday, LeBron James says he could play 'another 5 or 7 years.' He won't stay around that long
CTV
LeBron James celebrated his 40th birthday on Monday with gratitude for his basketball longevity and optimism about his future with the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron James celebrated his 40th birthday on Monday with gratitude for his basketball longevity and optimism about his future with the Los Angeles Lakers.
And when James was asked how he’ll know when it’s finally time to retire, the top scorer in NBA history offered a frank assessment of his still-formidable skills.
“To be honest, if I really wanted to, I could probably play this game at a high level for about another – weird that I might say this – but about another five or seven years, if I wanted to," James said. "But I’m not going to do that.”
James already has one of the longest careers in NBA history, but he knows it's nearing an end. He has repeatedly said he won't overstay his welcome in basketball, yet that moment clearly hasn't arrived: James is still a dominant force for the Pacific Division-leading Lakers, averaging 23.5 points, 9.0 assists and 7.9 rebounds this season.
“It’s kind of laughable, really, to know where I am, to see where I am still, playing the game at a high level,” James said. “Still being such a young man, but old in the scheme of how many years I’ve got in this profession. (I) just think back to when I came into the league. That’s like the first thing I thought about. You came in as an 18-year-old kid, and now you’re sitting here as a 40-year-old, a 22-year vet, with a 20-year-old in the NBA as well. It’s pretty cool.”
James is already in his 22nd NBA campaign — more than any player except Vince Carter, who also played 22 seasons — and he will join the slightly larger list of NBA players to suit up after their 40th birthdays on Tuesday night when the Lakers host the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Akron, Ohio native won Cleveland's only major pro sports championship with the Cavs in 2016.
James said he reacted to his milestone birthday with a disbelief familiar to anybody whose life odometer has rolled over to a number they still haven't processed.
