By Eurohoops Team / info@eurohoops.net
Back in the arena where he played arguably the best basketball of his career, LeBron James was asked to look to the future rather than back into the past and share how much longer he plans to play in the NBA.
“I don’t have a number,” James said Wednesday after the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 112-98 loss to his former team, the Miami Heat, when asked how many more seasons he has left. “I know as long as my mind stays in it, I can play at this level for a minute. Now, that’s up to my mind. My body is going to be OK because if my mind is into it, I will make sure my body is taken care of and I’ll continue to put in the work.”
It was another strong night individually for the 20-year veteran, leading the Lakers in points (27), rebounds (9) and assists (6). But L.A. lost for the ninth time in its past 13 games, dropping to 14-21 on the season and placing the Lakers in 13th place out of 15 teams in the Western Conference.
“I’m a winner and I want to win. And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. That has always been my passion… Playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA. It’s not in my DNA anymore.”
– LeBron James pic.twitter.com/Oq01mbborx
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) December 29, 2022
While James said his mental approach will ultimately dictate how much longer beyond the two years, $97 million he has remaining on his contract with the Lakers (with a player option on the second year), that approach is acutely connected to team performance.
Winning, it seems in James’ estimation, is the true fountain of youth.
“I’m a winner and I want to win,” James said. “And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. That has always been my passion, that has always been my goal since I entered the league as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio.
“And I know it takes steps to get there, but once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA. It’s not in my DNA anymore. So, we’ll see what happens and see how fresh my mind stays over the next couple years.”