The longevity of [Los Angeles Lakers](https://lakersdaily.com/) star LeBron James only gets more impressive by the year, and it doesn’t appear that he’s done just yet.
James plans to return for another season, per the Associated Press, putting him on track to become the first player in NBA history to play 23 seasons.
There are certainly a number of reasons why James has been able to play for so long, but one of them has less to do with basketball: the support of his family.
During an interview, James credited his wife and kids for their constant support and said his kids have never pressured him to retire.
> “They’re like ‘Dad, continue on your dream. This is your dream. Continue on your focus. You’ve been here for us this whole time,’” James [explained](https://apnews.com/article/lebron-james-amazon-los-angeles-lakers-91aaa9303ebb156701cba0f2b8274a7b) to the Associated Press. “When you have that type of support…it makes it a lot easier.”
Not only is James playing into his 40s, but he’s also playing at an All-Star and All-NBA level into his 40s.
In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game while shooting 51.3 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from deep. He was named to the All-Star Game and took home All-NBA Second Team honors.
The veteran helped the Lakers enjoy a strong regular season, but they fizzled out in the first round of the playoffs. The hope is that a deeper run is in store for L.A. next season.
One of James’ kids, Bronny, is now teammates with the all-time leading scorer on the Lakers. Considering how much the elder James appreciates the support of his kids, he must love having some of that support in the same locker room as him at this stage of his career.
It’s unclear how much longer exactly the elder James will play, but he’s at a stage where fans should appreciate every moment the future Hall of Famer provides. One day, perhaps not too far in the future, his legendary career will come to an end.
For now, it appears he’s getting ready for next season, which will give him another chance to pursue his fifth NBA championship. Regardless of whether or not another title is in the cards, he knows he’ll have the support of his family.