King James is officially returning for Year 21.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James will continue his playing career in the 2023-24 NBA season after contemplating retirement. James made the announcement at the 2023 ESPYs on Wednesday night after accepting the Record-Breaking Performance Award for becoming the NBA's all-time scoring leader last season.
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“I don’t care how many more points I score or what I can and cannot do on the floor. The real question for me is can I play without cheating this game? The day I can’t give the game everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done," James said on the Dolby Theatre stage in Los Angeles. "Lucky for you guys, that day is not today.
“So yeah, I still got something left. A lot left.”
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The 38-year-old surprisingly floated the potential of retirement after the Lakers were swept by the eventual NBA champion Denver Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.
“We’ll see what happens going forward,” James told reporters shortly after Los Angeles' season ended. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about.”
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Despite James' comments, it would have been an absolute stunner if he actually walked away from the game. The four-time Finals MVP has continued to fend off Father Time into his late 30s, proving he can still be a difference-maker on a title contender.
Last season, he posted 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists over 55 games. James then helped the Lakers, who entered the playoffs as the West's No. 7 seed, take down the No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies and No. 6 Golden State Warriors en route to the conference finals.
And the Lakers certainly have the look of a team capable of returning to the conference finals next season. Not only was Los Angeles able to retain Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D'Angelo Russell in free agency, but Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish were also added to the mix.
