Only five players have ever lasted as long as LeBron James has in the NBA.
The 2023-24 season will mark the 21st season of the Lakers star's GOAT-worthy career, tying him with legends Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzki for the second-most all-time.
The most? That record belongs to Vince Carter, who retired after 22 seasons in the NBA.
From Parish to Carter, it was clear in each of their final seasons that they were at the end of their careers. James has battled injuries over the last few seasons, but he's still playing at an All-Star and All-NBA level, and the Lakers have the firepower to compete for a championship.
How does that impact James' retirement plans? Here's what we know about how much longer he could play.
MORE: The Sporting News ranks the top 30 players in the NBA
When will LeBron James retire?
After the Nuggets swept the Lakers in the 2023 Western Conference Finals, James said that he would consider retirement in the offseason. He told reporters that he had "a lot to think about" going forward with the game of basketball and made it clear to ESPN's Dave McMenamin that he needed to figure out if he wanted to continue playing.
It wasn't until the ESPYS almost two months later that James confirmed he would return for the 2023-24 season.
"When the season ended, I said I wasn't sure if I was going to keep playing," he explained. "And I know a lot of experts told you guys what I said, but I'm here now speaking for myself.
"In that moment, I'm asking myself if I can still play without cheating the game — can I give everything to the game still? The truth is, I've been asking myself this question at the end of the season for a couple years now. I just never openly talked about it.
"I don't care how many more points I score or what I can or cannot do on the floor. 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."
James was selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. He enters the 2023-24 season with career averages of 27.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. Only eight players in NBA history have played more regular season games than he has and only two have logged more minutes.
With a resume that includes 19 All-Star and All-NBA selections, four MVP awards and four championships, James is one of the most decorated players of all time. Even so, the opportunity to add to his legacy and compete for another title serves as motivation going into his 21st season.
“I just think for one, it’s just my motivation to continue to be as great as I can be and solidify what I want to do in my career and still seeing that Larry O’Brien Trophy in my mind on a daily basis,” James said before the 2023-24 season. “So, that’s one of the best four moments of my career, being able to hoist up that trophy. So, that’s motivation alone.
“But also wanting to be legendary in this game and let my game speak for itself long after I’ve played. But this team has motivated me as well. Coming to practice every day, seeing the guys go to work every day, challenging each other, trying to get better every day. Implement what we want to do. And so, that’s been motivating as well.”
James has also been open in the past about wanting to play in the NBA with his oldest son, Bronny, who looked like a likely first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft before suffering a cardiac arrest during a workout ahead of his freshman season at USC. In a statement released by a spokesperson of the James family on Aug. 25, Bronny is expected to make a full recovery and return to basketball "in the very near future."
If James is still determined to play on the same team as his oldest son, his contract is structured in a way that he could sign with any team of his choosing in either the 2024 or 2025 offseason.
LeBron James contract details
James will make $47.6 million in the 2023-24 season. He has one year remaining on his contract but it's a player option, giving him the opportunity to enter unrestricted free agency in the 2024 offseason.
The Sporting News' Steph Noh recently ranked James as the best player in the 2024 free agent class.
If James picks up his player option for 2024-25, he will be an unrestricted free agent in the 2025 offseason.
| Season | Salary |
| 2023-24 | $47,607,350 |
| 2024-25 | $51,415,938 (Player option) |
LeBron James career stats
- 27.2 points per game
- 7.5 rebounds per game
- 7.3 assists per game
- 1.5 steals per game
- 0.8 blocks per game
- 3.5 turnovers per game
- 50.5 percent field goal shooting
- 34.5 percent 3-point shooting
- 73.5 percent free throw shooting
