NBA legend LeBron James says he is undecided about returning for a 23rd season after the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.
“I don’t know,” James said when asked how many more years he would play. “I don’t have the answer to that. (It’s) something I sit down with my family, my wife and my support group and kind of just talk through it and see what happens and just have a conversation with myself on how long I want to continue to play.”
Now 40 years old, James capped the season with averages of 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. Although he added to his legendary resume with several new milestones, he fell short of capturing a fifth NBA title to accompany his previous championships with Miami (2012, 2013), Cleveland (2016), and the Lakers (2020).
Among his achievements this season, James became the first player in NBA history to surpass 50,000 career points.
In February, he matched an exclusive feat held only by Michael Jordan by scoring 40 or more points at age 40, putting up 42 in a win over the Golden State Warriors.
Later that month he and the Lakers were energised by the addition of Luka Doncic, the Slovenian star who led the Dallas Mavericks to the finals last season.
Father-son first
The most meaningful moment of the season for James, though, came with a historic family achievement. He played alongside his son, Bronny James, marking the first time a father and son appeared in an NBA regular-season game together.
“Number one, for sure,” he said of playing with his son. “That’s not even close. To be able to play the game that I love and to be able to be alongside my son, this whole year has been one of the most gratifying, satisfying journeys I’ve ever been on.”
Bronny James played much of the season in the developmental G League, but James said watching him grow from Summer League, through the pre-season and G League competition and in his brief stints with the Lakers made him “super proud”.
James also praised the development of first-year coach JJ Redick, noting that rookie coaches in the NBA face a tough road but that it was “a hell of a lot harder being a rookie head coach coaching the Lakers.
“I thought he handled it extremely well,” James said.
James said when Doncic arrived in February that he was energized by the arrival of a “generational talent” but as he looked back he wasn’t sure there was enough time “to mesh”.
“Ultimately having a guy like that is very dynamic for any franchise,” James said, but he wasn’t ready to be drawn on how the Lakers can improve around Doncic and, perhaps, himself.
“It’s a business, so you don’t know what the roster will look like next year… I don’t know where I stand right now,” he said. (AFP)
What you should know
LeBron James is weighing retirement after the Lakers’ playoff exit, citing family discussions and personal reflection. Despite historic achievements and a unique father-son moment with Bronny, his future remains uncertain as the team faces questions about its direction.
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