Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade is great friends with Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and marvels at the fact that his former teammate can still operate at a high level at the age of 41. While it is incredible what James did in 2025-26, Wade also said on Time Out with Dwyane Wade that it has to be a bit of a bummer for him that he can still play so well.
“I’m just here to appreciate what I’m witnessing and what we all are witnessing,” Wade said. “Because we’ve never seen this before, man. It has to suck a little bit to get to this point in your career and still be really good. I got to a point in my career, and I was like, well, I’m not that good anymore. Like I can still play. I can go play right now and still be able to play, but I won’t be that good.
“So, it was easy for me to decide to walk away,” Wade continued. “It’s hard to make that decision when you’re still really f***ing good. Who walks away when they’re really, really good? Only a few. There ain’t a lot of Barry Sanders who just walk away when they really good. And you’re talking about a guy who’s been doing this his entire life.”
Wade, of course, entered the NBA at the same time as James. The former was the fifth pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, while the latter went first.
Wade had a stellar career, but injuries would contribute to his retirement in 2019. He had played 16 seasons in the NBA, which is pretty impressive.
James, though, makes it look a bit less impressive. He became the first player ever to play 23 seasons in the NBA and could well play a 24th with how much gas is left in the tank.
James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game for the Lakers in 2025-26. The 22-time All-Star then spectacularly powered them past the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs.
Wade thinks James is this generation’s GOAT, and you won’t find too many who disagree.
“How do you walk away from being a GOAT when you still a GOAT?” Wade asked. “… Obviously is players in the NBA individually that you say, oh, he’s the best player now, or he’s the best player now. But no one, no one, builds or has the kind of aura surrounding them everywhere they go like LeBron James. No one. No one yet has jumped over that and has taken the spotlight from him.
“No, he’s still the biggest game,” Wade added. “His team is still on TV the maximum amount of games. Every time we are in a production meeting, and it’s the Lakers, he is still a part of the conversation. When we talking about other teams, he’s still a part of conversations. How do you walk away from it?”
It won’t be easy to walk away. James did address his future after the Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals. He hasn’t made a decision about whether to continue or retire just yet.
While James’ motivation to do everything else that comes with playing in the NBA will play a part, his family’s wishes will too. He hasn’t always been around for them because of his career, and if they want him to stop, he might well decide to.
