LeBron James Gets Honest About Retirement Amid Season 23 Debut

LeBron James has been gripping the crown that is the NBA for more than two decades, but he’s slowly been loosening up.

It’s been an unspoken fact that his time in the league is coming to an end, but he’s yet to announce when he’ll hang up his sneakers on his terms, whether he’ll have a farewell tour á la Kobe Bryant, or any other details.

But recently, he’s gotten pretty comfortable theorizing about his remaining NBA days, especially after he made his debut this year in the 15th game of the season, following a sciatica flare-up.

After playing for the first time in about six months, he’s just happy to be on the court with his teammates.

“It was just fun to be out there with the guys, man,” he said. “It’s been rough mentally for me. This is the first time I’ve started a basketball season and not played since I’ve started playing basketball at like 9 years old. I’ve never missed the beginning of a basketball season.”

He did start slow, going scoreless in the first quarter, but redeemed himself by finishing the game with 11 points, 12 assists, and three rebounds in 30 minutes.

While it’s easy to get stuck in the monotony of the locker room grind, James is making history, as he topped Reggie Miller for sixth on the all-time three-pointers made and became the longest active player, beating out Vince Carter. So for him, his goal is to appreciate those goals and time he has left.

“My biggest challenge this season? I don’t know, just stay in the moment,” he said. “Obviously, where I’m at in my career and where I’m at in year 23, and understanding that there aren’t many more games for me. Don’t know when that is, but just staying in the moment and appreciating the opportunity to play the game I love and being around a great group.”

The writing has been on the wall recently since James was honest and open about his battle with sciatica in his back and leg, a rare injury for him as well, and completely shutting down the idea of competing in the 2028 Olympics during a recent Mind The Game episode with Steph Curry.

As the remaining games continue to dwindle, see social media’s reaction to the King’s return.