Los Angeles Lakers superstar forward LeBron James turned 41 years old during the ongoing 2025-26 season, but it appears his career may not be coming to an end just yet.
According to ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill, the feeling around the league is that James will play at least one more season in the NBA.
"If he were retiring the league would know it because the league would want to celebrate him on the way out…the feeling is around the league that Lebron will play at least one more season. There will be tremendous interest around the league this summer should Lebron decide to… pic.twitter.com/qtNEDLvSS5
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 19, 2026
This season, James is averaging 22.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the field and 30.5 percent from beyond the arc. He missed the start of the season for the Lakers due to sciatica, but he has still played 36 games, helping the team to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles is 22-14 when James is in the lineup. After earning the No. 3 seed in the West last season, the Lakers are still in play for a top-three seed this season, sitting just 1.5 games behind the third-place Denver Nuggets in the standings.
Even at his age, James is proving that he can still be a winning player, although there is no guarantee that he will remain with Los Angeles beyond the current campaign. An NBA source recently cautioned that the four-time champion won’t be around for the Lakers if they wait around too much to keep him this offseason.
James has spent his last eight seasons in Los Angeles, leading the team to a title in the 2019-20 season. While he no longer is the future of the franchise – that title belongs to superstar guard Luka Doncic – James is still one of the greatest players in Lakers history.
If he does decide to test free agency in the offseason, James likely will have his pick of contenders, especially if he’s willing to take a pay cut to chase a fifth championship.
James and the Lakers resume their regular-season action out of the All-Star break on Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Purple and Gold will look to build some momentum as playoff season creeps around the corner.