Later on Tuesday, LeBron James he will become the first player in NBA history to play a game in both his teens and 40s.
The The best NBA scorer of all time he turned 40 on Monday, and in his record 22nd season, he’s just his old self.
He is averaging 23.5 points per game, his lowest since his freshman season, but his 9 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game are better than his career averages.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS REPORTS ON FOXNEWS.COM
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on December 1, 2024 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Jamie Sabau/NBAE via Getty Images)
No, he’s no longer the best player in the NBA, but he’s still putting up numbers that many would kill to have — and he says that could happen for quite some time.
James he did not shy away from the idea that he is somewhat close to retirement, but said Monday that his eventual retirement “won’t be because I can’t play this game at a high level.
“To be honest, if I really wanted to, I could probably play this game at a high level for another five to seven years if I wanted to,” claimed James. “But I won’t do that.”
He was also adamant that he was done when he hung it up.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dribbles against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first quarter at the Chase Center. (Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images)
LEBRON JAMES AND 9 OTHER ATHLETES WHO JUSTIFIED THEIR HYPE SINCE 2000.
“No, no, no, no, no,” he said when asked if a return would be on the table. “I’ll miss all of that for sure. But no, I’m not going to leave and then come back.”
James currently has a player option worth nearly $53 million next season. Earlier this season, his son, Bronny, made his NBA debut, making the Jameses not only the first father duo to both be active at the same time, but also the first duo to be teammates.
LeBron James #23 and Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers take the court for the first time during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on October 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The four-time NBA champion also became the all-time minutes leader earlier this season, surpassing another record once held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports broadcast on Xand subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
