At the end of this past season, LeBron James flirted with the idea of retirement as he thought about competing against the likes of Nikola Jokic for another few years. Even back then, nobody was buying that LeBron was really going to call it quits, and the latest statement from his agent, Rich Paul, seems to confirm that narrative.
In a recent interview on SiriusXM NBA Radio, the NBA superagent shed some light on how much longer LeBron’s career can go, and the answer might surprise you.
“He’s one guy that I’m not going to say no about. I think it’s important to understand what really motivates him. I know it, obviously I’ve been around him for so long that I can tell you what his day probably looks like without even talking to him. As long as his mind is there, as long as he’s still excited about playing in the NBA — in addition to his health — absolutely. I always tease him that if your athleticism went away, you would just be Karl Malone and that’s fine.”
LeBron is obviously not the same guy he used to be, but he’s still one of the 10 best players in the world. In his latest season, he averaged a whopping 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game on 50% shooting.
Despite his age and declining athleticism, LeBron continues to find ways to be effective on the court, and he’s always adapting to maximize his potential on the floor. As long as he’s willing to put in the work, there’s no reason to think that LeBron can’t keep going well into his 40s.
Did LeBron Really Consider Retirement?
This summer was arguably the closes that James has ever come to calling it quits, but reports after the fact revealed that LeBron was speaking from a place of frustration.
“The conversation about him retiring came in the moment. After playing the game and losing, he was very frustrated. But from folks I’ve spoken to within the Lakers’ organization, those who know, they share with me that LeBron will be back in the fall, a very motivated LeBron going into the season.”
With the moves the Lakers made this offseason, it likely did enough to convince LeBron to give it one last run. Shockingly, even at 38 years old, he can still lead a team to a title, and it’s really the only thing he’s got left to play for at this stage of his career.
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