Michael Jordan, no doubt, is the greatest basketball player of all time. But a close second — and maybe to surpass him if he wins Ring No. 5? — is LeBron Raymone James.
This October 22, the NBA tips off another season. For LBJ, what an opening night. The Los Angeles Lakers host the Golden State Warriors — LeBron vs. Steph Curry. One of the biggest opening-day matchups ever.
This year is historic. LeBron becomes the first player to reach a 23rd NBA season, breaking Vince Carter’s record.
Last season, the four-time MVP and four-time champion averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds — shooting 51 percent from the field. Those aren’t farewell numbers; those are MVP stats.
Yet the question remains: As he turns 41 this Dec. 30, will this be LeBron’s last ride?
LAKERS FAN. I’ll make an admission. Excluding the Chicago Bulls era when Michael Jordan played, I’ve been a lifelong Lakers fan, starting with Magic vs. Bird.
This 2025 season feels special. Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt and Rui Hachimura are back. Two new names stand out: DeAndre Ayton and Marcus Smart. And the crown jewel: Luka Dončić. Slimmer by 31 pounds, Luka looks primed to be the next Laker legend. LeBron and Luka — maestro and prodigy — will share the court for a full season.
I saw LeBron live last year — Team USA vs. South Sudan. Even among the stars in the Olympics, he glowed: 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists. The way he commanded the floor reminded me why he’s a living legend.
LONGEVITY. What keeps him going? Yesterday morning, I watched a YouTube video with Tony Hawk (The Main Thing), and I found my answers. Said LeBron:
“I love to train still. I love to go out, feel the basketball, get on the court, watch the ball float in the air, and go through the net. Hear the ball bounce. Hear the shoes screech on the floor. It still feels like the first time I picked up a ball. It still feels like the first time I stepped inside a middle school, and then a high school gym as a freshman. I still have those rookie feelings when I was drafted. You know, I wake up early, I pack my bag, get my things, all the essentials I need for that workout. And then when I hit the court, it’s like, ‘Wow, this is still a beautiful feeling.”
That’s the secret: joy. He still feels like that kid from Akron, Ohio.
FAMILY. Another reason for LeBron’s motivation is playing with son, Bronny. We know the two made history as the NBA’s first father-son duo. Will he stay long enough for his second son, Bryce? Now 18 (and standing 6-foot-6) and soon to be playing for the University of Arizona, Bryce could be NBA-ready by 2026.
A LeBron-Bronny-Bryce moment? Hollywood couldn’t script it better.
FINALE. Will this season be his last? No one knows — not even LeBron. But Father Time is undefeated, and one wrong step, one fall, one injury could close the book. So let’s savor every game, every chase-down block, every soaring dunk — because we might be witnessing the final masterpiece of the King.