LeBron James wants to end his professional basketball career in Hollywood. The 39-year-old NBA star told reporters at this weekend’s All-Star Game that he hopes to finish his career in Los Angeles, retiring as a Laker. I’m a Laker and I’m happy and I’ve been very happy to be a Laker for the last six years and I hope it stays that way,” LeBron said, according to ESPN. “But I don’t have an answer for how long or what uniform I’ll be wearing. I hope [it] is with the Lakers. It’s a great organization, so many great ones. But we’ll see.”
LeBron’s revelation about where he wants to finish his career comes two weeks after the Golden State Warriors reportedly contacted the Lakers about making a trade for the 20-time NBA All-Star forward at the Feb. 8 trade deadline.
In the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, LeBron indicated that he was unhappy with his team’s performance so far this season. In late January, LeBron tweeted an hourglass emoji in the middle of the night after the team’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks. When reporters then asked him if he knew what he would decide this season about returning to Los Angeles, LeBron said “no” that he didn’t know.
All of this raised questions throughout the NBA about whether he would be traded to another team and led to the Warriors reportedly seeking a trade for the four-time NBA champion.
LeBron James’ Three Children: All About Bronny, Bryce and Zhuri
LeBron James.
Adam Pantozzi/NBAE/Getty
LeBron won one of his four NBA titles with the Lakers in 2020, but the chances of Los Angeles winning another this season are diminishing.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Despite winning the season-opening NBA Tournament in December, the Lakers are currently in ninth place in the Western Conference at 30-26. That’s good enough to get Los Angeles into the play-in NBA playoffs, but it’s not a record that instills much confidence in the team’s chances for another title. The lowest seeded NBA team to ever win a championship was the No. 6 Houston Rockets in 1996.
LeBron James says son Bronny, 19, could play for struggling Los Angeles Lakers ‘right now’
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(526x107:528x109)/Lebron-James-Lakers-021924-4-75c2eb0ca3354f2390fda1882e35bb72.jpg)
LeBron James.
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty
LeBron also told reporters Sunday that he doesn’t have “a lot” of seasons left in his NBA career as he plans to end his career. “I don’t know how it’s going to end, but it’s coming,” LeBron said. – He’s coming, for sure.
The four-time NBA MVP has been open about his dream to play alongside his oldest son, Bronny James, who is currently a freshman at the University of Southern California. It is uncertain if Bronny will enter the NBA draft this upcoming offseason.
Son of LeBron James: All about Bronny James and his relationship with the father of the NBA star
LeBron also said this weekend that it’s “50-50” whether he’ll pre-announce that he’s playing his final season, whenever that may be. “I’ll be honest, because there are times when I feel like I owe it to my fans who have been on this journey with me for over two decades to be able to give them that moment where every city and whatever the case is and they give you their flowers or whatever the case may be,” he said. “That seems cool. But on the other hand, I’ve never been very good at accepting compliments. It feels weird.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education