LeBron James says he has no plans to quit yet.
James, who will be 39 in December, shot down rumours that he wanted one or both of his kids to play with him in the NBA.
NBA star LeBron James put an end to rumours about his future on Wednesday. He said he is not ready to quit yet and still loves basketball.
James said he had “a lot to think about” after his team, the Los Angeles Lakers, lost the Western Conference final to eventual winners Denver in May. There were rumours that he was thinking about leaving the sport.
But in a speech he gave Wednesday at the ESPYs, James put to rest any fears that he might be ready to stop.
“I don’t care how many more points I score or what I can or can’t do on the court,” James said after getting the award for Best Record-Breaking Performance for passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time leading scorer.
“The real question for me is whether or not I can play this game without cheating. The day I can’t give everything on the floor is the day I’m done. “Luckily, that day is not today,” he told them.
“In the 20 years I’ve played this game and all the years before that, I’ve never, ever cheated, and I never will,” he said.
James, who will be 39 in December, denied rumours that he wanted to keep playing in the NBA with one or both of his sons. His oldest son Bronny James will play college basketball next season at the University of Southern California and could possibly join the NBA in time for the 2024-2025 season.
But he said that coaching his kids has kept him interested.
“What makes me come back every year? He said, “It’s watching my boys play and coaching them and their teammates.”
“When I see those kids, it reminds me why I play. The pure love of this beautiful game is what brings me back to where I need to be.
“Okay, so I still have something. A lot left,” he added.
After the loss to the Nuggets, James talked about how he had often asked himself similar questions.
“When the season finished, I said I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep playing. I know a lot of experts told you guys what I said, but I’m here now speaking for myself.
“At that time, I’m wondering if I can still play without cheating, if I can still give the game my all. I’ve been asking myself this question at the end of the season for a few years now. “I just never said it out loud,” he said.
James extended his deal with the Lakers by two years in August of last year. This will keep him with the team through the 2024-2025 season.
Comments are closed.