IN A move that solidifies his place in the annals of basketball history, LeBron James has officially opted into his $52.6 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers, confirming he will return for the 2025-26 season.
This decision makes him the first player in NBA history to play in 23 seasons, a testament to his unprecedented longevity and sustained excellence at the highest level of the sport.
At 40 years old, James continues to defy Father Time, as evidenced by his stellar 2024-25 campaign, in which he averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists in 70 games.
James’s agent and CEO of Klutch Sports, Rich Paul, conveyed his client’s mindset, emphasizing James’s unwavering desire to compete for another NBA championship.
Paul acknowledged the Lakers’ focus on building for the future, but stated that James values a realistic chance to win it all and wants to “make every season he has left count.”
The partnership between James and the Lakers’ front office, including Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka, remains a critical part of his career, and the organization is reportedly supportive of his goals.
The upcoming season will also see James chase another historic milestone. Having played in 1,562 regular-season games, he is just 50 games shy of surpassing Hall of Famer Robert Parish’s all-time record of 1,611 games played.
James, a 21-time All-Star, four-time league MVP, and four-time NBA champion, has been a force since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.
In other notable league news, James Harden has also made a commitment to his team, declining his player option with the Los Angeles Clippers to sign a new two-year, $81.5 million contract.
The 11-time All-Star guard will continue to be a cornerstone for the Clippers, aiming for better postseason results after their first-round exit in the 2024-25 playoffs.
Despite a slight dip in his three-point shooting, the 36-year-old Harden earned his first All-NBA honor since the 2019-20 season, averaging 22.8 points, 8.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds in 79 starts.
Meanwhile, veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic has announced his retirement from the NBA after a 10-season career with six different teams.
Citing a persistent foot injury that required two surgeries and kept him off the court during the 2024-25 season, the 36-year-old penned a social media post explaining that “the moment chooses you.”
Known for his sharpshooting from beyond the arc, Bogdanovic ends his career with averages of 15.6 points and a 39.4% three-point percentage over 719 regular-season games. / From the wires