After completing his 23rd NBA season, superstar forward LeBron James‘ future has never been more uncertain. As an unrestricted free agent this summer, he’ll have all the power and authority to decide where he goes from here. At this point, retirement is not off the table for James, who turns 42 in December.
While young prospect AJ Dybantsa can’t control James’ decision, he’s still hoping that the King sticks around for at least one more season. In a recent chat with ESPN, he explained that he wants to play against LeBron, which is why he’s rooting against a retirement announcement this summer.
“Hopefully, Bron doesn’t retire. Playing against Bron will be great,” said Dybantsa on ESPN. “I don’t think any of us get starstruck, even if we’re playing against him. But at the end of the day, bro, like it’s LeBron. The fact that you’re on the same court with LeBron is crazy.”
At 19 years old, AJ Dybantsa still has much to prove as a player, but his Freshman season at BYU was enough to make him one of the top prospects, with averages of 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 51.0% shooting and 33.1% shooting from three. He’s confident he’s getting drafted first overall this year, and he’s already dreaming of life in the NBA. Specifically, he wants to live out his dream of sharing the court with his longtime basketball idol, LeBron James.
It’s easy to forget that the players coming in now all grew up watching LeBron play ball. In fact, for most of the incoming rookies, James has been dominating the NBA longer than they’ve been alive. This is exactly the case for AJ Dybantsa, who was born four years after LeBron’s NBA debut in 2003. To date, he has not witnessed a season when James was not on an NBA roster, and he doesn’t want that to change anytime soon.
The good news for Dybantsa is that he may yet get his wish. Despite all the mileage, LeBron is reportedly leaning toward re-signing with the Lakers on a short-term deal this summer. That way, he could extend his career and potentially go on one last playoff run before it’s all said and done. In the process, he can share his wisdom and influence with the next generation, setting the example for Dybantsa and his peers as the future faces of the league.
For now, Dybantsa is still waiting (and hoping) for LeBron to make his decision, but it’s unprecedented how many young athletes are getting to experience his game first-hand. For at least two decades, he’s had rookies starstruck by his greatness, and the weight of his presence only heightens with each passing year.
If LeBron has at least one more season in him, the goal for AJ is just to soak up as much information as he can and apply whatever he learns into his own routine. In the process, he might be able to maximize his own game and follow in James’ footsteps as the model of consistency.
