Topline
NBA star LeBron James hinted he is considering retirement this offseason after the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets on Monday, a possible shift in stance from the record-breaking player who remains on top form after a historic career and 20 seasons in the basketball league.
LeBron James hinted at retiring on Monday.
Key Facts
James, who scored 40 points for the Lakers and played most of the game despite a lingering foot injury, hinted at his imminent retirement in a series of cryptic comments in a postgame news conference, according to news reports.
While speaking about himself as a part of the Lakers next season, James ended the conference on a less certain note and said “we’ll see what happens going forward.”
“I don’t know,” James continued, adding: “I’ve got a lot to think about… for me personally going forward with the game of basketball.”
While there is a lot of ambiguity and room for interpretation in James’ comments—he is also under contract for next season and is in good form despite decades at the top of the game—he later confirmed to ESPN he was indeed talking about his possible retirement.
When asked by ESPN what it was he needed to think about, James said he was considering “if I want to continue to play.”
When pressed, James said this was for next year and that he had to “think about” walking away.
What We Don’t Know
Retirement, though inevitable for any top athlete, has not been a pressing concern for James. This is the most serious time James has discussed the prospect of leaving and he appears in little danger of being pushed out. At 38 years old, he is still considered one of the league’s top players and has a resume that boasts the league’s all-time scoring record, four NBA championships, four league MVP awards and two Olympic gold medals. A few unknowns remain, however, and James’ departure is far from set. Notably, he has at least one year left of his contract with the Lakers—reportedly worth nearly $50 million—and has stated a desire to play with his eldest son, Bronny, before retiring, which he has yet to do. Under current rules, Bronny would not be eligible to play in the NBA until the 2024-25 season.
Forbes Valuation
$1 billion. That’s James’ estimated net worth, according to Forbes’ real time tracker. He is the first active NBA player to become a billionaire. Forbes ranked him as the fourth highest-paid athlete in the world and the highest-paid NBA player for the 2022-23 season. His wealth comes from both his earnings on the court—estimated at $124.5 million before taxes and agents fees for the 2022-23 season—and off it, which includes numerous business ventures and endorsement deals with the likes of Nike, AT&T and Beats By Dre.
Further Reading
How LeBron James Became The NBA’s Top Scorer, Highest-Paid Player—And First Active Billionaire (Forbes)
LeBron James says he will consider retirement this offseason (ESPN)
The World’s 10 Highest-Paid Athletes 2023 (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/05/23/lebron-james-hints-at-nba-retirement-after-lakers-loss/