Lakers star LeBron James unsure when it comes to future

LeBron James gleamed to the question he knew that the smile crossed his face when he asked him questions about the word “retirement”.

James stammered as he was trying to answer the question during his session at Lakers Media Day on Monday.

He has never provided a final response to his future. He is about to enter his 23rd season in the NBA, which means that James will have played more seasons in the League than anyone in history. He was 41 years old on December 30, but if last season was an indication, James did not slow down.

When James was asked about his approach to this season, knowing that retirement is close, he did not seem to know how to answer.

“I mean, I don’t know,” he said. “I mean, I am enthusiastic by today, I am delighted to be able to play a game that I like for another season. And whatever the trip, but the trip takes place this year, I’m just super invested, because as you said, I don’t know when the end is, but I know it’s much earlier than late.

“So, being super grateful to the fact that I could come here, do another media day and talk to you and do it all here, so just enthusiastic about the trip and whatever this year has in store for me.”

James exercised his player option for $ 52.6 million this summer to play with the Lakers in the last year of his agreement. He has not signed an extension with the Lakers, which means that James will be a free agent after the 2025-26 season if he will not retire.

James is already the top scorer of all time in the NBA during the regular season with 42,184 points. He played the second regular season games in history at 1,562, just 50 behind the leader, Robert Parish.

James collected an average of 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists last season

It was clear that he was still at the top of his game.

The Lakers featured LeBron James, on the left, and Luka Doncic pose during the team day of the team on Monday.

(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

“What is still pushing me is the fact that the love of the game is always high,” said James. “The love of the process is even higher. So that’s what continues to push me to play this game. I mean, it’s really so simple. I train and work on my body and try to get my body as almost 100% as possible every year, it’s something that is like – it’s a nice thing for me. Long season.

James associates with another superstar of Luka Donnteic, who signed a three -year extension for $ 165 million.

Dononic, 26, is considered one of the best players in the league, giving James a first -rate racing partner.

James were asked how much a player like Donic next to him will weigh his decision to retire.

“No, Nah. As far as I am concerned in my career? Nah. Zero,” said James. “The motivation to be able to play alongside him every night is super motivating. This is why I will train my body. Every night, I go there and I try to be the best player I can for him, and we will bounce back how much I go in my career, which I would literally be my decision, with my wife and my boys. [Bronny and Bryce] already disappeared. … so it will be a decision between me, my wife [Savannah] And my daughter [Zhuri]. It will not be: “hey, have a meeting with my teammates”. It won’t be it.

James and Austin Reaves have been teammates for four years now, and Reaves has not seen any drop in his famous teammate.

Reaves, who refused a contractual offer of $ 89.2 million over four years of the Lakers during the summer, did not speak to James of retirement but does not see that it happens so early.

“Whenever you see him, he has a big smile on his face, he is the biggest kid in the room, has a good time and you have to enjoy this for someone who has been going there for so long, 23 years,” said Reaves. “At one point, you feel like joy may not be there. But every time you see it, it resets that it is here for one thing and only one thing and it is to win. But I don’t know for retirement. He could play for 10 years. “

James returned to a team of Lakers who was 50-32 last season and finished third from the Western Conference. The Lakers then lost in the first round of the Minnesota Timberwolves qualifiers.

But the Lakers were revised, adding the center Deandre Ayton, goalkeeper Marcus Smart and Wing Jake Laravia.

James won four NBA championships and aspires to another.

“I don’t know, just to know how many kilometers I have come to this game during my 22 years, now from 23 years old, and to be able to play at a high level, to be able to go there and be able to play and be respectful on the ground,” said James.

“It’s just super humiliating and rewarding for me, personally. I love playing the game, and I like to play at a high level. And for me, age is a bit of a number, but it is also reality. Inspire the one I can: the young generation, my generation, the generation after me, the generation to come.