The retirement chatter has surrounded James the past few years, which he officially squashed when he announced he’d return to the Lakers in 2023 at the ESPYs and again returned last season on a two-year, $104 million contract. This all came after James said in 2022 that his last season in the NBA would be with his son Bronny.

Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

James will be entering year 23 of his NBA career, but he is still playing at a very high level. Last season, the former league MVP averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game.