LeBron James will be entering his 23rd season in the NBA, with no signs of slowing down or thinking about retirement. Last season, he made the All-NBA second team, proving he is still among the best players in the league. He will also be the oldest player in the league for the third consecutive season. Some might say he cannot continue winning against Father Time for so long.
This will be the first season in which LeBron doesn’t have a clear option, either a player option, a guaranteed contract, or a team option. What will the future bring? Well, according to Brian Windhorst from ESPN, a move overseas is not out of the question.
LeBron James Might Seek Hoops Beyond the NBA
Speaking on the latest Hoop Collective Podcast, Brian Windhorst mentioned there have been rumors about LeBron playing in other pro leagues. But nothing is certain at this point.
“I can tell you his play on the court is not indicative of somebody who is near retirement. Look, he’s got to want to do it. He’s got to put his body through it. I keep hearing people say this might be the last year. Look, he’s been linked to potentially playing in other leagues. I don’t know. Maybe. But if he stays healthy, I do not see LeBron James slowing down. Yeah, maybe he’s tired of doing it, but I do not see LeBron slowing down that much.”
Whether LeBron James thinks about retirement or not is anyone’s guess at this point. He has earned the right to do whatever he wants. With Luka Doncic on the Lakers, he might extend his career for a year or two and compete for another championship. Or he might play with his other son, Bryce James. Nothing is off the table.
LeBron and Maverick Carter Going Global
This summer, there was a picture of LeBron, Nikola Jokic, Maverick Carter, and Misko Raznatovic (a well-known and respected European agent) on a boat. The caption on social media read, “The summer of 2025 is the perfect time to make big plans for the fall of 2026”. Many people assumed that it might be a potential teaser of Jokic and LeBron teaming up eventually.
But later explanations were on the line that the guys were discussing the new league that Maverick Carter is working on.
The reports about the new league first came out in January 2025. At the time, there were rumors that a group of investors was planning to raise $5 billion to start a new league that would rival the NBA. The league should have six men’s teams and six women’s teams. Carter is a consultant on the project, but he has continued to make headlines since January about the potential new league.
LeBron James in Europe or China After NBA Retirement?
If James does eventually decide to go overseas, play fewer games, and continue building his global brand, there are examples of players reaching new heights outside of the NBA. One of the best examples is Dominique Wilkins, who played in the Greek national league, won a national title, and a EuroLeague title with Panathinaikos. Stephon Marbury completely changed his legacy after dominating in China. There is even a museum in Beijing, China, dedicated to Marbury. He never got to that level of popularity in the NBA.
Here is a fun fact: LeBron might not be the only current star looking to make a move to Europe. Kevin Durant has often talked about how much he would love to play in Europe. In 2019, he mentioned that once his NBA career is over, he would love to play a year for Barcelona.
European leagues are becoming better and better. Teams there do not play as many games as teams in the NBA. For an older player like James, that would be a great option to build his international brand and still play the game he loves.
Think about this for a second: Kendrick Nunn was nothing more than a role player in the NBA; now, he is a EuroLeague MVP and a legend in Greece. Think about what LeBron can do by playing in Europe.
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