NBA superstar LeBron James has confirmed he will play another year, his 21st NBA season, after making hints about perhaps retiring after a postseason loss in May.
LeBron James declares he will play in his 21st NBA season
On stage at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday, the all-time leading scorer in the league discussed his future goals.
James declared, “I don’t care how many more points I get or what I can or can’t do on the floor.” I’ll be finished the day I’m unable to offer the game everything I’ve got. Thankfully, that day is not right now.
The audience at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles then burst into raucous applause.
Following the Lakers’ defeat by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals of the previous season, James gave reporters a hint that he might be considering retiring, saying he had “a lot to think about” regarding his position in the league.
James has frequently expressed his desire to play in the NBA alongside Bronny James, his oldest son, who has committed to playing basketball for the University of Southern California in college. The NBA Draft would be open to James in 2024, the year his father turns 40.
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“And I’ll tell you what keeps me coming back year after year: mentoring and observing my guys and their teammates,” James remarked on Wednesday. Just the pure love of this wonderful game is what gets me back to where I need to be with those youngsters. So, yes, I do still have something. There is still a lot.
The 38-year-old won the ESPY for Best Record-Breaking Performance after passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s leading scorer last season.