EL SEGUNDO — When LeBron James steps on the court for the Lakers’ game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena, he’ll add another accomplishment to his exhaustive list by becoming part of an exclusive club of people to play in the NBA after turning 40 years old. James, who turned 40 on Monday, will become the 32nd player in league history to appear in an NBA game (regular season and playoffs) after their 40th birthday.
He’ll be the first player since former Miami Heat teammate Udonis Haslem (2022-23) to accomplish the feat. James said he didn’t originally think about playing until he was 40 when the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted him with the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft.
But crossing the 40-year-old threshold offered him the opportunity to not only reflect on his past, but also look at what the future could hold. James, who is in his 22nd NBA season (his seventh with the Lakers), hasn’t hesitated to acknowledge the obvious understanding that he’s at the tail end of his playing career. If the NBA’s all-time leading scorer returns next season, he’ll break a tie with Vince Carter for the most seasons played in the NBA.
James responded “of course” when asked on Monday whether thoughts about the ending of his playing career have increased, adding that his relationship with retirement is “very good.” But he made it clear that when he does retire, it won’t be because he isn’t capable of playing at a high level anymore. James h.