LeBron James isn’t retiring just yet. During his acceptance speech for the Best Record-Breaking Performance award at the 2023 ESPYS, James confirmed that he would be back for the 2023-24 NBA season.
After the Los Angeles Lakers got eliminated in the 2023 Western Conference Finals by the Denver Nuggets, James told reporters that he isn’t sure whether he’ll continue playing professional basketball. But as it turns out, this was said in the heat of the moment.
Speaking at the ESPYS, James said that he isn’t too bothered about how many points he scores or things he does on the court.
“The real question for me is: Can I play without cheating this game?” said James. “The day I can’t give everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done.”
And James believes he still hasn’t reached the “cheating” phase.
“Lucky for you guys, that day is not today,” he added.
LeBron James’ return next season means that he’ll become only the sixth player in NBA history to have 21 or more seasons under his belt. He’ll join Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, and Vince Carter on the list.
Despite struggling with injuries in 2022-23, James still managed to put together an impressive campaign. He averaged 28.9 points per game while adding 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists.
