The latest podcast episode from LeBron James may have featured an accidental reveal of his retirement plans. James was speaking about Victor Wembanyama’s prime and his future with the San Antonio Spurs. However, the topic featured LeBron talking in passing about retiring before the rest of the league must deal with Wembanyama‘s best years in the league.
James said the following while praising the French phenom:
“I’m glad I won’t be in the league when (Wembanyama’s prime) arrives. I’m glad I can watch and do this and figure out what time my tee time is tomorrow.”
Steve Nash and LeBron discussed the MVP during the latest episode of Mind the Game. The topic shifted towards Wembanyama’s case and if voters would reward him for his superb play at such a young age. James started to praise Wemby when dropping his quote about retirement.
Most expect LeBron to retire over the next few years, but some have hope he’ll keep playing if he’s still this good on the court. James confirmed that he will definitely retire by the time that Wembanyama is at his peak. This is a rare moment of LeBron confirming his retirement window without giving an official date.
What Does This Mean For LeBron’s Retirement Date?
Wembanyama is currently in his third NBA season at just 21 years old. LeBron referencing his prime years coming in the future sets a time when the all-time great will be out of the league. Superstars typically take off in their mid-20s, so Wembanyama is about two more seasons away from reaching that level.
This means that James is confirmed to be out of the NBA after two seasons max. Many expect LeBron to retire after next season and that may be true. However, we can decipher that James only plans to play two more seasons at most when matching up to Wemby’s prime years.
The odds are likely for LeBron to sign a one-year deal next season with either the Los Angeles Lakers or another interested team. James will have to see how next season goes before he confirms to play another season. An official announcement of his retirement tour could answer all questions during the summer.
LeBron Ranked Wemby Outside Of MVP Top Three
Another interesting point in the podcast featured LeBron giving his insight in this season’s MVP race. Nash and James both give respect to Wembanyama, but they didn’t believe he deserved the award just yet due to the stiff competition.
Both men named Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as their MVP favorite due to his greatness leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to another strong season. LeBron cited that Jalen Williams missing a lot of time due to injury and Oklahoma City still dominating warrants Shai’s second consecutive MVP.
The conversation led to James listing Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic as his other candidates above Wembanyama. However, LeBron did make sure to reveal that he expects Wemby to win many MVP Awards in his career. This season is just not Wembanyama’s time due to the incredible race with spectacular performances all around.
LeBron Accidentally Revealed Retirement Window Praising Wemby