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While on stage, dapper as ever, at the 2023 ESPY Awards in Los Angeles, LeBron James confirmed he will play this upcoming season after publicly pondering retirement after the end of the NBA playoffs.
The Lakers’ superstar forward announced his decision while accepting the ESPY for Best Record-Breaking Performance after becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer this year.
“I don’t care how many more points I score, or what I can or cannot do on the floor,” James said at the awards show. “The real question for me is: Can I play without cheating this game? The day I can’t give everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done.”
“Lucky for you guys, that day is not today,” said LeBron James.
After the Lakers were swept out of the Western Conference finals by the eventual NBA champion Denver Nuggets, the 38-year-old was not 100 percent certain about returning to the league for a 21st season. However, time away from the hardwood floor has offered James more clarity on his future plans, which include playing alongside his son.
“I was serious, and I’m still serious about it,” James said in May about playing in the NBA with his son. “Just because it’s my aspiration, it doesn’t mean it’s his. It’s not what you want. It’s about listening to your kids and what they want.”
Far from cheating the game, LeBron James has added remarkable and unprecedented value to the very sport he entered as a fan and will one day depart as arguably the greatest ever.
After claiming ownership of once-thought unimaginable records both on and off the court for over two decades, King James has at least one more chapter to write in the city of Angels.