LeBron James Open to Playing Until 2027: ‘It’s All Up to My Body, More Importantly, My Mind’
LeBron James has won and earned everything you could possibly want as an NBA player since entering the League in 2003 as a precocious 18-year-old rookie.
At 37-years-old and entering his 19th NBA season, James doesn’t have much else to accomplish other than the all-time leading scorer and chasing the shadow of Michael Jordan’s six championships. If there is one goal, one pipedream the King wants to reach, it would be playing in the NBA with his oldest, Bronny James.
Bronny is a 17-year-old rising senior at Sierra Canyon High School and is a consensus top 50 high school prospect as he enters his final year of high school play.
🤯🤯😤😤 WHOA!!!! Just kids from Akron!!!! 🤴🏾🤴🏾🤴🏾🔥🔥 The Chosen One x The Chosen Sons #JamesGang👑 #TheLegecyContinues 📸 Jeffery A. Salter @SInow
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 30, 2022
https://t.co/m7YE9nHthw pic.twitter.com/ShWIvGWO86
Bronny would be next in an emerging line of second-gen hoopers that began with Rick Barry’s three sons, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Domantis Sabonis, as well as the four NBA sons on the Warriors roster in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Gary Payton II.
It remains to be seen if Bronny or his younger brother, Bryce, will have the chops to play in the best pro basketball league in the world. Bronny has gradually become a better player as his HS years have gone by, and he’s garnered scholarship offers from Kentucky, Memphis, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, and USC. Bryce recently received an offer from Duquesne University.
“I like to throw things out in the airwaves,” James said per Sports Illustrated. “But I’m not one to [say] what’s going to happen in the next two to three years. I am a visionary, but I’m also a guy that lives in the moment.”
Funny enough, the idea of LeBron and Bronny sharing the court didn’t rise until that fateful day in February when he told The Athletic he’d like to play his last year in the NBA with his oldest son and that “it’s not about the money at that point.” According to LeBron’s wife Savannah, “no, we hadn’t talked about” the subject, while the idea seemed “pretty cool” to their oldest son.
Savannah herself knows that idea is something that is “near and dear” to her superstar husbands heart.
“We don’t even really talk about the future too much. I put it in the air because I like to talk to the basketball gods out there and see if things can come to fruition. I’ve always set out goals in my career, talked to the basketball gods, and they’ve listened to all of them. Hopefully they can listen to this last one, too.” LeBron James said.
With all that being said, the reality of the men in the James Gang playing in the NBA together is a few years away. Bronny isn’t draft-eligible until 2024, and Bryce won’t be of age until 2027. A key detail that the four-time Finals MVP is keenly aware of. Aware enough to coily throw out the possibility of playing until he’s 43, joining Tom Brady as an elite athlete playing at a high level into their 40’s.
“I feel like I could play for quite a while. So it’s all up to my body, but more importantly, my mind. If my mind can stay sharp and fresh and motivated, then the sky’s not even a limit for me. I can go beyond that. But we shall see.” LeBron said.
For now, Bronny and Bryce will have the eyes of millions on them while on the high school scene. From the actual hardwood to social media where videographers and photographers searching for a viral shot or mix will be capturing them from the sideline. It’s a reality that their Hall-of-Fame father dealt with as a high schooler. For better or worse, so will they.
