At 39 years old, LeBron James is undoubtedly near the end of his career. If you ask his former Cavaliers teammate Iman Shumpert, the King only has about three years left before he announces his retirement.
“I’d say three [years],” Shumpert said via Responsible Gambler. “I’ll say this – he’s capable of three. I want to say after Year 2 with his son [Bronny], I want to say he puts it down. If he gives us one more after that, cool. I think he’s going to let Bronny get through Year 1 and 2 and then it’s like, ‘Yeah, he’s got it.’ If Bronny comes out here and just kills in his first year and just goes crazy? I think ‘Bron would put it down after this year.”
Iman Shumpert is no longer active in the NBA but he has ties to LeBron James after teaming up on the Cavaliers and winning a championship together in 2016. He saw James at his absolute peak and he knows first-hand the amount of dedication, discipline, and resources it involves for him to stay on top year after year.
At 39 years old, it doesn’t take a genius to tell that LeBron’s time in the league is nearly up but exactly how much longer he has is impossible to say. Unlike most 39-year-olds in NBA history, LeBron is still playing at an All-Star level, and after a dominant run at the Olympics this summer he feels like he’s at the top of his game.
Of course, as a 4x champion, 4x MVP, and 20x All-Star, LeBron has nothing left to prove in the NBA and he’s secured where his legacy stands as one of the game’s All-Time greatest players. Now, what’s left of his career will be focused on Bronny and maximizing his first few years in the league.
After a modest showing at USC, James didn’t turn any heads with his college play and his performance at Summer League did not do much to alleviate fan concerns. With the odds stacked against him, Bronny must work hard and take the advice of his elders if he wants to succeed in sustaining a long-term career in the NBA.
Along the way, LeBron has made it his mission to help however he can. By pushing the Lakers to hire JJ Redick, LeBron ensured that James would have a proper coach in place to put him into the right system and implement a game plan that plays to his strengths.
So far, the results have looked promising and LeBron seems confident that success is assured. This season, which will see the King turn 40, we will find out if the Lakers are built like a contender or if they lack the talent to keep up with the competition.
Depending on how many games are won could decide how soon LeBron steps away. As a champion and a legend, LeBron deserves to go out as a winner and the ultimate dream for him is to win one last title as his son picks up the mantle as a valuable rotation player.
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