It’s been over 18 years since LeBron James entered the NBA as a high school phenom with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Since then, he’s played for the Miami Heat, gone back to Cleveland to bring his hometown a championship and landed on the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won his fourth title as a player last year.
At the age of 36, James has showed little sign of slowing down. Nevertheless, he’s started to do some thinking about where he plans to settle down and end his historic NBA career.
He won’t have to go far. In fact, he won’t have to move at all.
In an appearance on the “Smartless” podcast with hosts Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes, James shared that he hopes to end his playing days in Los Angeles with the Lakers.
“I truly hope that I can finish my career with the Lakers. However many years that is, if it’s four, five, six, whatever, seven, I hope I can continue to play the game,” James said. “I love being in L.A., my family loves being in L.A. Being with a historical franchise like the Lakers is something… It’s like me being in “Space Jam” — I never thought it would be possible. You think about Kareem, and Magic, and Wilt, and Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, Kobe, Shaq and all of them, the whole list goes on.”
Now that @KingJames has played for the @Lakers, he says he never wants to play anywhere else ever again: https://t.co/I0vPqFFhuH pic.twitter.com/P2Ot91GOfg
— Silver Screen and Roll (@LakersSBN) July 12, 2021
James intentions to stay in Los Angeles won’t surprise many, but the duration that he wants to continue will surely draw some attention. The 36-year-old has adamantly said that he hopes to play with his eldest son, Bronny, once he’s eligible, but that could be a possibility in just three or four years. James claimed that he could see himself as a Laker for the next six, or even seven years, provided that his body holds up.
Questions about the four-time MVP’s health renewed during LA’s brief playoff run this season. James suffered a high ankle sprain back in March and never quite looked that same. He also made some cryptic comments prior the postseason about how he would never be the same as he continues to age.
Even with the injury, James managed to average 25.0 points, 7.8 assists and 7.7 rebound while shooting over 51 percent from the floor. He dragged the injury-ridden Lakers to the playoffs and threatened the NBA Finals-bound Phoenix Suns without Anthony Davis.
If anyone can defy the clock, LeBron James seems like a good bet. No matter how long he lasts, he intends to be with the Lakers for the rest of his NBA days.
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