Lakers star LeBron James spoke to the media Monday during the team’s preseason media day at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
EL SEGUNDO — For Lakers star LeBron James, returning to the NBA for a 21st season was not a decision he made hastily.
After the Lakers were swept in last season’s Western Conference Finals, James reflected on his own basketball mortality in a way he rarely did publicly, and he needed time.
It’s time to more than just refresh the body of the 38-year-old, who has amassed a combined 65,747 NBA minutes in the regular season and playoffs (second-most in league history behind Kareem Abdul Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (66,297 minutes)) and also refreshed his mind.
James is using this time the same way many in the NBA offseason do: focus on family.
In early July, when James coached his youngest son’s (Bryce) AAU team with former Lakers teammate Rajon Rondo during the Nike EYBL Peach Jam, James felt like he was shaking off what he calls “the funk.”
“Just seeing the love, just seeing — they’re just playing for the love of the game,” James said at the Lakers’ preseason media day on Monday. “With all the kids in our AAU program, they’re just out there competing and just trying to win. It’s not about social media clicks, money, fame, etc. They’re just playing to be able to put themselves in a position to potentially win Peach Jam. Just seeing things like this kind of gets me going.”
Shortly after, James publicly announced that he would be back for at least one more season.
“I had a conversation with my family, (a) conversation with myself,” James said. “Being inspired by my kids again. Then I feel like I still have a lot to give.”
He needed to refill his gas tank after telling reporters in late May that he had “a lot to think about” when it came to his basketball future.
“I felt like I had a lot more to give. At that moment… I was exhausted. I was tired. Mentally, I was in so many different places,” James said. “That’s what he commented. Because that’s how I feel at the moment. But I’m excited to come back and help this team again and hopefully get this team to the Finals.”
“I mean, I feel different. I’m not 21, that’s for sure. It feels a little different every day when I get up. But as far as my energy level goes, I feel pretty good.”
For Lakers brass, James’ preparation for the 2023-24 season is no different than what they’ve seen before.
“For a player who’s been playing 20 years and is ready for 21 like a rookie, it’s shocking,” Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said last week. “He’s been playing 6 in the morning. Point for practice. Probably as much as any player will be in our building this offseason.
“Any team LeBron has played for, his work has set the tone very consistently. The number of people who have seen that here has done nothing but increase. To see how meticulously he prepares and how well he works So hard work, our whole team is full of fighting spirit.”
James said he spent “most” of his offseason rehabbing his right foot due to a right tendon injury that caused him to miss 13 games from February 28 to March 24. He participated in the last eight regular season games, playing in all games. He played 16 games in the playoffs, but his physical condition was clearly limiting.
“My foot responded really well to the offseason workouts,” James added. Looking forward to seeing how it reacts during training camp and all preseason leading into the regular season. It’s nice to see where I am now. “
He doesn’t know what his future will look like after this season with the Lakers.
James, a three-time Olympian and two-time gold medalist who has not played for Team USA since 2012, has expressed interest in representing the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics but has not made a commitment.
“We’ll see what happens,” James said. “As far as the physical toll, I don’t know, we’ll see how I feel at the end of the season. But looking at the players we have here, I can immediately think of someone I could fill that roster, and I don’t think it’s going to be a physical toll It’s such a big loss. But we’ll wait and see what happens.”
As for whether any part of James can consider this his last season playing basketball, he’s still not sure.
“Well, I don’t know. I don’t know,” James said. “I’m happy right now. I’m excited. I’m looking forward to the start of training camp (Tuesday). But I don’t know what the end of the road looks like and what the end of the season looks like.”