Bold statement: LeBron James isn’t ready to declare his 23rd NBA season a farewell, and that hesitation keeps fans guessing about what’s next. Inglewood, Calif. — LeBron says he still hasn’t decided whether his remarkable 23rd season will be his last. “When I know, you guys will know,” he told reporters Sunday after arriving at Intuit Dome for his 21st All-Star Game. “I don’t know. I have no idea. I just want to live. That’s all.”
The 41-year-old star reiterated that he is not on a goodbye tour with the Los Angeles Lakers, even as a Cleveland Cavaliers tribute video last month moved him to tears. He has consistently spoken about savoring the season’s moments with his teammates, including his 21-year-old son, Bronny.
During the All-Star questions, James gracefully deflected inquiries about his future, sticking with the same cautious answer he’s given for months. He did, however, express gratitude for another chance to share the stage with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. The pair were set to team up on the “Stripes” squad of American All-Stars before Curry’s knee injury sidelined him, though Curry remained in attendance.
“It’s always an honor to see those guys,” James said. “We’ve had an unbelievable journey in our careers, crossing paths in the regular season, Finals, and Olympics two summers ago. When it comes to me, Steph, and KD, we’ll be intertwined for the rest of our careers, for sure.”
Regarding the length of his career, James repeated that he hasn’t made a decision and is focused on finishing the Lakers’ final 28 regular-season games, despite the team’s injury troubles placing them in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race. He could become a free agent this summer, but he stressed that his attention remains on the current season.
“It has nothing to do with that,” James said. “Same motivation, same mental focus. We’ve passed the marathon; now the sprint is about to start.”
Off the court, James has long talked about a future as an NBA owner, and the league is considering expansion. He’s aware of those possibilities, but he says his next chapter isn’t his priority right now. “There are a lot of things I could explore if I want to, ownership being one of them,” he noted. “There are other ventures I’ll continue to examine to see what will engage me after my playing days. Right now, I’m fully locked in on this season.”
Ahead of Sunday’s game, James spoke to reporters since the league has allowed him to skip All-Star Saturday activities in recent years. He had planned to spend the break recovering from a season that has already seen him miss 18 games due to various health issues, including sciatica that sidelined him for the Lakers’ first 14 games. Yet he still entered the All-Star break by becoming the oldest player in NBA history to log a triple-double.
The four-time NBA champion with the longest career in league history continues to perform at an All-Star level alongside peers like Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, even though the Lakers’ famed trio has shared the court just 10 times this season because of injuries to all three players.
“It's hard to pin down what we’re truly capable of,” James remarked. “We’ve had stretches of excellent basketball and stretches where we’ve looked off. The key is getting healthy, maximizing minutes, and building chemistry as we sprint toward the postseason.”
Although he missed enough games to exclude him from his 22nd All-NBA nod, James earned another All-Star selection after skipping last year’s game in San Francisco, ending his two-decade-long streak of appearances.
As he returns to a game that has evolved into a round-robin format featuring two American teams and a World team, James remains a believer in tradition. “East vs. West is a classic,” he said. “They’re trying something new. We’ll see how it unfolds. It’s a big question—the World is growing fast, but how does that balance out?”
— AP NBA coverage
