Lets face it. Anything LeBron James says or does makes headlines. That’s how influential — and notorious — he has become. Certainly, it’s why his pronouncement right after the Lakers lost in the West Finals last May generated reactions from fans and critics alike. It’s not so much that he said he was contemplating retirement. It’s that he said it — he who just claimed the all-time record in scoring, he who finished the season with norms of 28.9, 8.3, and 6.8 in close to 36 minutes of action, he who openly talked about the opportunity of sharing the court with Bronny, his eldest son.
Few believed James would hang his jersey after a transcendent 20th year in the National Basketball Association, of course, and yet his musings on the matter drew significant ink. Little wonder, then, that his confirmation of conventional wisdom’s take on the continuation of his career on the court would likewise create considerable buzz. As he accepted the ESPY award for Best Record-Breaking Performance yesterday, he disclosed what just about everybody else knew to be true. “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.”
Forget about the apparent hubris in James’ declaration. Instead, focus on his body of work and commitment to justify it. He has pledged to leave everything in the tank every single time he treks to the court, and argues that the moment he can no longer do so is the moment he steps away. Considering his work ethic and dedication to his craft (which evident league cornerstone Zion Williamson has not coincidentally cited as the model), the day will not be coming for a while. And it bears noting that the numbers he will produce aren’t his gauge; “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?”
Because the answer to the question will invariably be yes, James is all but contending that he will exit stage left on his own terms. Crucially, he’s signed to a contract that will pay him a whopping $99.03 million over the next two years. It’s as clear an indication as any that he’ll be around for the foreseeable future, and especially in light of the outstanding offseason roster moves the Lakers have made. The purple and gold have given him legitimate cause to cast moist eyes on the hardware. And, as he has repeatedly pointed out, he’s after titles at this stage in his life.
Admittedly, James is on the downside. He began his 2022-23 campaign with flourish, but his body started breaking down as he accumulated more miles on his odometer. And though he had a respectable showing in the Lakers’ spirited run to the conference finals, he was clearly running on fumes by the end. So, yes, all eyes will be on whether he can manage his fall from grace with aplomb. The good news is that he maintains a strict yearlong workout regimen that protects him against a precipitous drop. That said, Father Time is undefeated. He’ll be done one of these days, but, as he proclaimed, “that day is not today.”
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
