There is still time for LeBron James‘s career to go on. The Lakers star said he will keep playing at the ESPYS on Wednesday night in Los Angeles. James thought about retiring after the Lakers were swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals. However, he will join Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, and Vince Carter as the only NBA players to play in their 21st season or longer. Carter has the record with 22 seasons.
“I don’t care how many more points I score or what I can or can’t do on the court,” James said after accepting the ESPY for Best Record-Breaking Performance for passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time top scorer. “For me, the real question is: Can I play this game without cheating? When I can’t give everything on the floor, I’ll be done. “You guys are lucky that day is not today.”
James’s wife, Savannah, and their three kids, 18-year-old Bronny, 16-year-old Bryce, and 8-year-old Zhuri, gave him the award. “Please welcome the GOAT, LeBron James, to the stage,” Savannah said. James, who will be 39 in December, used the opportunity to think about how his children have kept his love for basketball alive.
In the fall, Bronny Jr. will join the USC basketball team as a student. Bryce changed schools and is now a junior at Campbell Hall High School. James recently led Bryce’s AAU team, Strive For Greatness, at the Peach Jam event in South Carolina.
“Tonight, I just want to say something I’ve said a million times and will never get tired of saying: I love this game. James said, “I love playing basketball.” “There’s a funny video of me coaching Bryce’s team last weekend going around on the internet right now.
I saw a lot of posts where people said, “LeBron brings the same level of energy to a high school AAU game as he does to the Finals.” And to me, that’s the best praise you could give. “In the 20 years, I’ve been playing this game and all the years before that, I’ve never, ever cheated, and I never will.”
Former teammates Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were there Wednesday night to hear James talk about how much he loves the sport that has put him in the national spotlight for more than 20 years.
“Every time I step on the floor, whether it’s to teach my boys or to play, I want to give it my all. James said, “I do it for me.” “I do it for some of my friends, both from the past and the present. I do it for all the great people who have come before me. And most importantly, I do it for the fans, for the people who love the game.
“Listen, you can love me or hate me, but the one thing you will always do is respect me and appreciate how I play the game and what I’ve given to it.”
James expressed his thinking when, after scoring 40 points and playing all 48 minutes in the Lakers’ Game 4 loss to the Nuggets, he told ESPN, “I have to think about if I want to keep playing.”
James said, “When the season ended, I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep playing.” “I know that a lot of experts have told you what I just said, but I’m here to talk for myself. At that time, I’m wondering if I can still play without cheating and if I can still give the game my all. I’ve been asking myself this question at the end of each season for a few years now. I just never talked about it out loud.”
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James also continued to distance himself from his previous desire to play on the same NBA team as one or both of his kids, saying, “They’re on their own basketball journey, and no matter how far they choose to go, they’re not cheating the game.” And that gets me going.”
“Do you know what makes me come back year after year? “It’s watching my boys and their teammates play and coaching them,” he said. “When I see those kids, it reminds me of why I play. Those kids help me get back to where I need to be, just because they love his beautiful game. “OK, so I still have something. A lot left. I love you all so much, and I’m so glad you’ve been following this trip so far.
