Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James indicated that he plans on ending his basketball career by playing on his son Bronny’s team, a destination that’s unknown at this point.
“My last year will be played with my son,” James said. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point.”
The younger James is scheduled to graduate from high school next year and according to current NBA rules, would not be eligible to join the NBA until the 2024-25 season.
There’s certainly no guarantee that the younger James will be ready to play in the NBA by that time. However, his development over the years has been closely followed by countless recruiting services, with many touting his basketball potential.
The elder James’s contract with the Lakers lasts through next season. That means that if he does sign another deal with the team, it won’t be for more than one year.
When the 2024-25 season gets underway, the elder James will be 39 years old and turn 40 in December 2024. Presently, he’s still performing at a high level, so he could still be an asset to any team at that point.
The elder James’ statement will clearly make teams in the NBA much more conscious about drafting the younger James in 2024.
Whatever team does end up selecting the younger James will be the beneficiary of some extensive media attention throughout that entire 2024-25 season. In the process, they’ll also be getting at least one year of production from one of the NBA’s greatest players ever.
