The possibility of LeBron James hanging up his boots after the end of the 2025-26 season has long been considered high, and every arena he walks into now feels a little heavier. Fans all across America are left wondering whether they have just witnessed the last time they will ever see him play live.
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On Tuesday, LeBron and the Lakers head to Cleveland, and if this truly is the end, it would mark his final game in the building where everything began. Ramona Shelburne, however, doesn’t want the Cavs fans to come out with their tissues just yet.
On the Mason and Ireland show, the NBA analyst claimed that the entire notion of this being LeBron’s last season was false.
“Everybody has this in the back of their head, this could be the last time. He could retire. I don’t think he’s retiring,” said Shelburne.
LeBron is still producing, still driving the offense, and still capable of taking over stretches of games when it matters. Is he a bit slower than a year ago and starting to become a small liability on defense? Yes. But it’s not as if he’s laying goose eggs out there. He’s still averaging 22 points per game.
Also, the idea is that LeBron isn’t operating on a fixed timeline anymore. He’s not the type to make a dramatic declaration months in advance or force a farewell tour. “He seems like a guy who is keeping all his options open,” was another point that Ramona stated in the discussion. That flexibility is part of what’s kept him playing at such a high level this late into his career.
Where do YOU see LeBron ending his career? pic.twitter.com/0urjWfETcP
— ESPN Los Angeles (@ESPNLosAngeles) January 27, 2026
Still, moments like tomorrow night in Cleveland are going to hit fans differently. Even if LeBron plans to play another year or two, nothing is guaranteed at this stage. Injuries, roster changes, and personal priorities all matter now more than ever. That is why every return to familiar places carries extra emotion, whether he acknowledges it or not.
The smart move is to appreciate the moment without trying to write the ending too early. LeBron has earned the right to decide when the story ends, on his own terms. Whether tomorrow is his last game in Cleveland or just another chapter, it serves as a reminder that the clock is ticking, even if it has not hit zero yet.
That is why fans of the game have been savoring these final years of LeBron so much. He feels like an old tiger backed up against the wall, aware that his time is coming. And that is when the tiger is at its most dangerous. The King still has a few tricks up his sleeve, including a burning desire to capture ring number five. If that happens, it will simply be another badge he can wear against the doubters who questioned him from the moment he entered the league in 2003.
