Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is entering an unprecedented campaign. The first time he takes the floor for the Lakers in 2025-26, he’ll become the first player in NBA history to play 23 seasons. That alone is historic, but he does so coming off of an All-NBA Second Team selection, solidifying himself as one of the 10 best players in the game right now.
However, Year 23 will be LeBron’s age-41 campaign, meaning that — at some point — retiring from the game has to be a legitimate consideration for him. The noise figures to be louder than ever this season, as he is on a true expiring contract for the first time in his career and will enter unrestricted free agency in 2026 no matter what.
James has not given any indication as to what he’ll do next offseason, or if the 2025-26 campaign will be his last in the league. However, he knows that his time as a professional basketball player is closer to its end than its start, via Complex:
“I know I am on the other side of the hump, for sure. Come on now, I’m not gonna play another 23 years, that’s for damn sure. And I’m not gonna play another 10. So, I’m definitely gearing up to where the end is. I’m not there yet. But I am super blessed to be able to sit here. Year 23, picked up another signature shoe, picked up golf. Listen guys, every time I pick up something new, it does not mean retirement. It’s just something I want to do, it’s just a little hobby. But retirement is coming, it is coming. It’s just not here yet.”
While this statement from James gives no real answer as to when he’ll call it quits, this might be the most he’s recognized that the end of his career is near. For years, LeBron said that he wanted to stick around at least until his son, Bronny, was in the league. That happened in 2024-25, with them becoming the first father-son duo to play in an NBA game together.
Now, LeBron may have to decide what’s next, and what his motivation is for continuing to play. Perhaps it’s wanting to win one more championship, or play with his other son, Bryce. Either way, it doesn’t appear that the Lakers star knows the answer to that just yet.
LeBron James gives update on relationship with Drake
Last year saw the biggest rap beef in history completely take over the country and even the world. Kendrick Lamar and Drake traded diss tracks throughout much of the year and things got personal to the point where many were forced to choose a side, and that included LeBron James.
The consensus is that Lamar got the best of Drake in those records, catapulting himself to a whole new level of superstardom. While James and Drake have been friends for a long time, James did attend Kendrick’s famous ‘The Pop Out’ concert at the Kia Forum, which some took as him siding with the Compton native during the beef.
Drake has admitted to being affected by some people seeming to turn their backs on him during that time and LeBron seems to be part of that group. And in a recent interview, the Lakers superstar admitted that he and Drake are in different places at the moment, but that he will always have love for the hip-hop artist.
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