During the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2024-25 media day on Monday, LeBron James returned to his position as the most talked-about player in the NBA, addressing one major question concerning his future that has sparked much conjecture for well over a year.
Lakers’ LeBron James is “living in the moment” as retirement approaches.
As Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation shared on X on Monday, James, 39, dismissed the idea of retirement while speaking to the media at the UCLA Health Training Centre. He also elaborated on his current mindset regarding the future of his certain Hall of Fame-worthy career by saying (h/t Corey Hansford of Lakers Nation):
“I haven’t given much attention to the future, preferring to live in the present. I don’t want to take this moment for granted, especially because Bronny is here. James said, “This is a moment I’ll probably enjoy a little more.”
James remained a top-10 NBA player last season.
After a decade at the leadership, the four-time NBA MVP is no longer the sport’s undisputed top player. Nonetheless, he was an All-NBA Third Team selection last season and for the third consecutive season, thanks to his 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game on an incredible 54 percent shooting from the field and a career-high 41 percent clip from three-point range — the first time he’d ever cracked 40 percent or better from deep in his 21-year NBA career.
James remains in a position to contend for a title and make history in 2024-25.
Furthermore, according to Lakers reporter Ryan Ward on X, Hansford stated that his dominant performance in the 2024 Summer Olympics, which saw him win Olympic Basketball MVP honours for the gold medal-winning Team USA, made him feel like he still has “a lot left in the tank.”
That, combined with the reality that the Lakers still have a squad capable of winning the NBA Finals next season without question, creates the possibility of James playing for several more seasons.
Plus, if he needed any more motivation, playing with his son Bronny James the next time out would not only make history, but will also allow him to find something within himself to pursue it at his senior age, especially given that he has accomplished everything there is to achieve in the league.
If James’ numbers from a year ago were cut in half, he would still be a starting player in the league. Retirement will eventually come on his own terms, but it appears that those terms may take some time to develop.
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