While it is easy to think of professional athletes as real-life superheroes, no one is unable to outrun Father Time. LeBron James, however, has done a pretty good job at staying ahead in the race.
With the 2023-24 NBA season tipping off, King James will be suiting up for his 21st professional campaign. That is already an incredible achievement, and it’s quite possible that the living legend has more left in his tank.
For years, we’ve heard that James wanted to play alongside his son Bronny at the highest level. Given that we know when the teenager will be eligible to turn pro, there’s a tentative timeline for LeBron to hang up his sneakers.
But now it seems like there might be another task on his NBA to-do list, and that would keep him in the Association for a bit longer.
Let’s break it down.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers directs the defense during a 129-125 loss to the Golden State Warriors in a preseason game at Crypto.com Arena on October 13, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. The living NBA legend is still going strong, despite his age.
James Could Strive to Play Alongside His Son Bryce
In the world of sports, there have been plenty of famous father-son duos. LeBron James isn’t part of that list yet, but he’s getting closer by the day.
As mentioned above, the Lakers’ star has been open about his desire to play alongside his son Bronny at the NBA level.
“I need to be on the floor with my boy. I got to be on the floor with Bronny,” James told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin in early 2023.
“Either in the same uniform or a matchup against him. I don’t mean like [guarding one another all game], because he’s a point guard and I’m a… at this point now I’m playing center or whatever the team needs from me,” LeBron added. “But I would love to do the whole Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. thing. That would be ideal for sure.”
While Bronny’s cardiac arrest could potentially change things, the teenager will theoretically be able to enter the 2024 NBA draft. That would potentially open LeBron to the possibility of retiring at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
But now it seems like another, more distant, goal could be on the star’s radar.
In a Beats by Dre commercial, James appeared alongside soccer star Erling Haaland as voiceovers chronicled their rises to stardom. At one point, LeBron’s wife, Savannah James, challenged King James to “Tell them you’re not done until you play with your son.”
Sounds pretty straightforward, right?
The voiceover added, “Then, do that again.” The video also cut from Bronny to his younger brother, Bryce, at that point.
Playing With Bryce Would Take LeBron Into 2026
While commercials can take some dramatic license, the sentiment seems clear: King James is at least interested in playing with Bryce.
And, in complete fairness, this isn’t the first time that idea has come up. In 2022, LeBron, Bronny, and Bryce appeared together on the front of Sports Illustrated. In that cover story, Chris Ballard asked the living NBA legend about playing with Bryce.
“I feel like I could play for quite a while,” LeBron said. “So it’s all up to my body, but more importantly, my mind. If my mind can stay sharp and fresh and motivated, then the sky’s not even a limit for me. I can go beyond that. But we shall see.”
But how long would it actually take to play alongside Bryce?
As of now, the teenager is 16 years old and still attending high school. Assuming that he wants to play professional basketball, he will have to finish secondary school and wait at least a year, whether that’s in college, the G-League or elsewhere, before entering the Association. That would mean he is eligible, at the absolute earliest, to be selected in the 2026 NBA draft.
If we also assume that LeBron wants to play a proper season and not be trotted out for a glorified ceremony, he would have to be active through at least a portion of the 2026-27 campaign. King James would turn 42 in December 2026.
Playing any professional sport, let alone doing so at a high level, is a tough ask at that age. LeBron James, however, has proven that he’s capable of keeping Father Time at bay.
