LeBron James has already lived out the dream very few athletes have even dared to imagine: sharing the floor with his own son in the NBA. But even after accomplishing that milestone, the 40-year-old basketball icon isn’t walking away. He’s doubling down.
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As reported this week, LeBron has officially opted into his $52.6 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2025–26 season. That means he will become the first player in NBA history to play in a 23rd season, a record in longevity that now draws an unmistakable parallel to another all-time great: Tom Brady.
Brady, who retired from the NFL in 2023, also played 23 professional seasons, cementing himself as the most decorated quarterback in football history. And now, LeBron James is about to match that number, albeit on the hardwood.
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Unsurprisingly, the comparisons to Brady were inevitable. Both he and James are longevity legends, GOATs of their respective sport, and statistical anomalies. But not everyone sees their accomplishments through the same lens.
For some fans, equating James’ longevity with Brady’s wasn’t fair, as they believed the NFL to be a tougher sport to last long, considering its intense physical nature. “Doing it in the NFL is way more impressive,” wrote a fan.
NBA folks, on the other hand, vehemently disagreed with this stance. “23 seasons of basketball is more taxing on the body than QB position,” penned a user. “Way more impressive in the NBA tbh,” added another.
The rest, meanwhile, had nothing but appreciation for the two GOATs. “Greatest athletes of their generation,” said a fan, representing the majority’s sentiment.
While fan-fuelled comparisons have been a practice from time immemorial, it’s important to acknowledge that James’ longevity is a remarkable feat by any measure.
The Lakers star, who turns 41 in December, remains one of the league’s most productive and respected players. He averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists last season while earning his 21st All-NBA selection, an incredible feat, considering no other player in league history has more than 15.
With over 1,560 regular-season games under his belt, James is also just 49 appearances away from breaking Robert Parish’s all-time record of 1,611. So if he stays healthy, that milestone is likely to fall next season.
Add to that, his NBA-record 50,000+ combined regular season and playoff points, and it’s clear that James isn’t just sticking around; he’s still re-defining greatness.
What makes this even more intriguing is that this upcoming season will be his first full campaign alongside Luka Dončić. The Lakers traded for the Slovenian superstar late last season, forming what could be one of the most high-powered duos in recent NBA memory.
Still, the team fell short in the first round of the playoffs, and LeBron James clearly isn’t satisfied ending his run that way.
So, all said and done, whether one considers 23 years of taking NFL hits more gruelling than 23 seasons of NBA wear and tear is up for debate. What isn’t, however, is the fact that LeBron James continues to rewrite what’s possible in professional basketball.
For he didn’t come back just for a farewell tour. He came back because there’s still more he wants to do, even after two decades, four championships, and a resume that has long been Hall of Fame ready. So, simply put, if Tom Brady set the bar for career longevity, LeBron is making sure it doesn’t remain exclusive to the NFL.
