Sometimes its hard to fathom LeBron James’ longevity. He’s been in the NBA for 23 seasons now, with the spotlight still on him. Every game he plays is historic, and every point he scores adds to his legacy as the league’s all-time leading scorer. But at 40, just how much does the King have left in the tank?
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James started 2025/26 slow, after a sciatica issue marred his pre-season and the first few weeks of the new campaign. Upon returning, it took him more time than normal to find his footing, and his 18 year streak of scoring at-least 10 points in every single game came to an end. It, kind of, signaled that the end was near.
James bounced back just days later, scoring 29 and guiding the Lakers to a win against the 76ers, showing that when others fail, he can still carry his side. That’s why it was wild to hear his former teammate Danny Green confidently claim that James will, in fact, retire in a few months time.
The four-time NBA champion’s impending status at the end of this season has been a major talking point around the NBA. But if you asked Green, he believes this will be the end of the line for James.
“I just don’t see him making it to year 24. Like, I think this is it, and we need to appreciate it. I think this is the last year of LeBron James,” Green, who played with James at the Cavaliers and won a championship with him on the Lakers, said on No Fouls Given.
It should be noted that LeBron has not revealed anything definitive on this. He is most likely not going to decide on retirement until after the NBA Finals. However, some clues could still hint that this may be James’ final season.
After media day in the offseason, LeBron posted a video to Instagram accompanied by Lenny Kravitz’s “It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over.” This could’ve been James hinting that it will soon be over for him and basketball. Furthermore, 23 seasons in the NBA for a guy who wears the number 23 would be quite the poetic sendoff into the sunset for the GOAT.
At the end of the day, we still do not know if LeBron is going to retire at the end of this season. Yet it is definitely within the range of outcomes. If Green was right about anything, it is that we need to cherish James while we still can. He has been so great for so long that he is easy to take for granted. Few players will ever reach LeBron’s age and continue to produce at an elite level, and we need to recognize that before it is too late.
