LeBron James reveals the 1 thing that could drive him toward retirement
There’s no denying that LeBron James is still one of the best players in the NBA.
There’s also no denying that he’s closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
It’s hard to believe that James is already in his 15th NBA season, but at the same time, he’s only 33. James is playing at such a high level that he says he’s not even thinking of retirement anytime soon.
When that time comes, James says age will be the deciding factor in when he retires — not his age, but rather the age of his children.
“The only thing is with my kids getting older, that’s the only thing that kind of stops me from going as long as I’d like to,” James told USA Today on Thursday. “I’ve got a 13-year-old son now [LeBron Jr.]. He’s in the seventh grade. He’s a damn good basket player, too. On this road trip, I’ve already missed four of his games. That’s the thing that kind of sucks.
“I’ve got a 10-year-old boy [Bryce], 3-year-old girl [Zhuri]. Daddy side kicks in sometimes. That will be a deciding factor in how long I want to play.”
If productivity is the barometer for when James should retire, he’s certainly not going anywhere soon. His numbers this season are all equal to or better than his career averages in points, field-goal percentage, 3-point percentage, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.
James said he’s playing well because he’s feeling well.
“Right now, I feel great. I don’t feel 33,” he said. “I don’t feel like I’ve been to [seven] straight finals in a row. I don’t feel like I came in at 18 and I’ve played 79-80 percent of games. Just keep it going.”
James has not only played in 1,101 regular-season games, he’s also played in 217 playoff games — the equivalent of another two-and-a-half full seasons.
“I’ve already went further than I thought I would go. Every thing after this point is extra credit,” James said. “Fifteen years. I don’t know, I’ve been in this spotlight for half of my years.
“I’m 33 now. This thing started when I was 15. Eighteen years I’ve been in this light. I’ve already exceeded everything I’ve dreamed about. At this point, I’m just adding crazy toppings on the cake like my daughter would do. Throw all kinds of stuff on the cake and whatever happens happens.”
He said the one thing about retirement is he doesn’t know when it will happen, but he’ll know when it should happen.
“The game will let you know when it’s over with,” James said. “Retirement for me is like getting engaged. I didn’t know if I was ready or not. I just felt it was the time. Timing was right. The vibe was right.
“Did I know I was ready for marriage? I don’t know. I never had nobody in my family get married before. I never experienced it. I definitely never had nobody in my family play in the NBA and retire. So, we’ll see. We’ll see.”
James still has a ways to go if he wants to set the record for the longest NBA career. That mark is held by three players — Robert Parish, Kevin Willis and Kevin Garnett — who each played 21 seasons in the league.
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