Charles Barkley has never been one to hold back his opinions, and this week he had a heartfelt, if blunt, message for LeBron James: it might be time to start thinking about walking away.
Speaking on The Jim Rome Show, the Hall of Famer said he hopes LeBron retires “sooner rather than later,” adding that he’d rather see the Los Angeles Lakers star leave on his own terms than fade under the weight of Father Time.
“You know, Father Time always going to win, there’s nothing you can do about it. You know, I joked on the show a couple of weeks ago, they said sciatica. They could have just wrote old, it’s the exact same thing. All old people back hurt. You know, he’s got to accept it.”
“I hope he leaves sooner than later, because I hate to see great players out there struggling. I really struggled my last year, probably my last two years. It was very frustrating and humiliating for me. Obviously, LeBron’s a better player than me, but I don’t want to see great players just hanging on.”
“I would love to see him have a farewell tour, then just walk away. Cause he’s one of the three greatest players I’ve ever seen after Michael and Kobe. But I don’t want to see him just hanging on just for the heck of it. But Father Time’s always going to win.”
LeBron, 40, has yet to make his season debut while dealing with a sciatica issue that has sidelined him since training camp. While the Lakers have managed a strong start behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, questions about LeBron’s long-term future have intensified.
The timing of Barkley’s comments isn’t random. LeBron has already spoken about wanting to play alongside his sons, but with his body showing wear and tear after 22 NBA seasons, the window may be closing fast. Barkley, who has been through the same decline, seems to be speaking from experience rather than criticism.
And Barkley isn’t wrong about the physical toll. While LeBron’s production last season, 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game, was still elite, his body has logged nearly 70,000 career minutes, including playoffs, the most in NBA history. Even for a player as disciplined as LeBron, that kind of mileage takes its toll.
For now, James remains focused on getting healthy and helping the Lakers chase another championship. But Barkley’s message is clear: go out while you’re still LeBron James, not a diminished version of him.
