On his 40th birthday, LeBron James shared his thoughts about his longevity in the NBA and retirement plans during a press conference following the Los Angeles Lakers practice session.

"I could play 5 to 7 more years, but I won’t"

LeBron made a surprising statement, expressing that he still feels physically capable of competing at the highest level for another five to seven years but ruled out extending his career for that long:
"If I really wanted to, I could probably play at a high level for another five or seven years, though it feels strange to say it. But I’m not going to do that."

The dream of retiring as a Laker

The four-time NBA champion reiterated his desire to finish his career with the Los Angeles Lakers:
"I’d love for it all to end here. That would be the goal. I came here to play the final chapter of my career and close it here."

However, LeBron acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the business side of professional basketball:
"I’m not naïve or overly idealistic about how the basketball business works. But I think my relationship with this organization speaks for itself."

A leader and a legend

As the NBA’s oldest active player, LeBron James continues to build on his legendary status, holding the all-time records for points scored and minutes played. In his 22nd season, he maintains elite performance levels with remarkable averages:

• 23.5 points per game
• 7.9 rebounds
• 9 assists
• 49.6% shooting accuracy
• 8 triple-doubles so far this season