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LeBron James said Monday night that his future in the NBA remains uncertain and that he has not yet decided whether to return to the court for what would be his 24th season in the league.
James, 41, spoke about his future following the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff exit in a Game 4 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He said he wasn’t ruling out retirement or a return to the Lakers, but said nothing about the possibility of joining another team for the 2026-27 season.
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Lakers forward LeBron James stands on the court in the final minutes of Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Los Angeles on May 11, 2026. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)
“I don’t know what the future holds for me, obviously, as it looks tonight,” James said. “I have a lot of time now. I think I said it last year after we lost to Minnesota. I’m going to go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them and spend time with them, and obviously when the time comes you’ll know what I decide to do.”
The Thunder eliminated the Lakers in four games with a 115-110 victory. The team was without Luka Doncic, a key part of the team’s strong season. He missed the entire playoffs with a hamstring injury.
James led Los Angeles to a first-round upset over the Houston Texans before running into the defending NBA champions in the second round.
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Lakers guard Austin Reaves pats forward LeBron James on the back in the final minutes of Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Los Angeles on May 11, 2026. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)
“It’s amazing what he’s doing at this age,” Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s very impressive. It’s hard to put into words. He’s not very old in the grand scheme of life, but for the NBA, he’s pretty old, and he doesn’t seem like that. He was a force. He was at the top of the scouting report in every series. His size gave us problems at times. He was impressive there. I’m not sure we’ll see anything like that again, his longevity and his greatness.”
He said he would discuss his future with his family over a few glasses of wine.
“No one has any idea what the future holds, and neither do I,” James said. “I’m going to take the time to recalibrate and look at the season and see what’s best for my future, and when I get to that point, everyone will know.”
James, a 22-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion, is the all-time leader in points scored, games played and field goals attempted.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers enters the court to warm up before Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Los Angeles on May 11, 2026. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)
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He averaged 20.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games played this season.
