For the past few years, many have wondered when Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will officially call it a career. However, following his new two-year contract, as well as the team’s decision to draft his son, Bronny James, it seems the four-time champion is not going anywhere anytime soon. Previously, James made it clear that he wanted to end his career as a Laker. However, he would not reveal how long he planned on playing.
“I am a Laker and I’m happy and been very happy being a Laker the last six years and hopefully it stays that way. But I don’t have the answer to how long it is or which uniform I’ll be in. Hopefully [it] is with the Lakers. It’s a great organization, so many greats. But we’ll see.”
While James himself will not reveal his retirement plans, the next best thing we have is one of his former teammates. In a recent interview with DJ Siddiqi of Responsible Gambler, former James teammate Iman Shumpert spoke about when he thinks the 39-year-old will retire. Shumpert predicted we will get two or three more years out of James. Additionally, he took it one step further, predicting that James will retire with the Lakers.
“I’d say three,” says Shumpert when asked how many more years James will play. “I’ll say this – he’s capable of three. I want to say after Year 2 with his son [Bronny], I want to say he puts it down. If he gives us one more after that, cool. I think he’s going to let Bronny get through Year 1 and 2 and then it’s like, ‘Yeah, he’s got it.’ If Bronny comes out here and just kills in his first year and just goes crazy? I think ‘Bron would put it down after this year.”
Shumpert played alongside James with the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2015 to 2018. During their time together, they made three NBA Finals appearances and won once in 2016.
Past LeBron James Teammate Predicts Where, When He’ll Retire
Evaluating Iman Shumpert’s Prediction
Shumpert’s prediction of three more years out of James seems accurate. It will allow James to finish the contract he signed this summer and come back on a one-year deal, potentially a retirement tour. Additionally, by that point, James will have 24 seasons played. It is clear that James is aiming to win another championship or two before he retires. However, there is one more interesting narrative to follow. As it stands, he is less than two full seasons away from breaking Robert Parish‘s all-time games played record (1,611). James has already broken a lot of records in his illustrious career, so what is one more?
The Last Word On LeBron James
Realistically, James could have retired over a decade ago and still have made it to the Hall of Fame. However, it is clear he wants to build a legacy so great that very few can top it. As made clear by his performance during the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Lakers star still has a lot left in the tank. Shumpert predicts two or three more years. However, it would be a shock to nobody if James manages to stick around for a little while longer.
