LeBron James marked his 40th birthday on Monday, reflecting on his remarkable career and expressing optimism about his future with the Los Angeles Lakers. When asked how he’ll know it’s time to retire, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer offered a candid take on his game. "To be honest, if I really wanted to, I could probably play at a high level for another five or seven years," James said.
"But I'm not going to do that." With one of the longest careers in NBA history, James is well aware that his time is winding down. However, retirement isn’t imminent: He remains a dominant presence for the Pacific Division-leading Lakers, averaging 23.
5 points, 9.0 assists, and 7.9 rebounds this season.
"It's kind of laughable, really, to know where I am, to see where I am still, playing the game at a high level," James said. "Still being such a young man, but old in the scheme of how many years I've got in this profession. (I) just think back to when I came into the league.
That's like the first thing I thought about. You came in as an 18-year-old kid, and now you're sitting here as a 40-year-old, a 22-year vet, with a 20-year-old in the NBA as well. It's pretty cool.
" James is already in his 22nd NBA season – more than any player except Vince Carter, who also played 22 seasons – and he will join the slightly larger list of NBA players to suit up after their 40th birthdays on Tuesday night when the Lakers host the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Akron, Ohio, native won Cleveland's onl.