LeBron James is set to make history by playing a record-breaking 23rd NBA season after exercising his player option to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2025–26 campaign.
The 40-year-old, already the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, activated a $53 million (£41 million) player option, with his agent Rich Paul confirming the move and stating James remains focused on adding a fifth championship to his legendary résumé.
“He knows the Lakers are building for the future,” Paul told ESPN. “But LeBron still values having a realistic shot at winning it all. At this stage of his life and career, every season matters. The Lakers understand that and fully support it.”
James currently shares the record for most NBA seasons played with eight-time All-Star Vince Carter.
He’s also within reach of another milestone—his 1,562 regular-season games played leave him just 50 appearances shy of surpassing Robert Parish’s all-time mark of 1,611.
In 2023, James passed Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing total of 38,387 points to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. His record now stands at 42,184 points.
Drafted first overall in 2003 by the Cleveland Cavaliers, James won two titles with the Miami Heat before returning to lead Cleveland to its only NBA championship in 2016.
He joined the Lakers in 2018, helping the franchise win the 2020 title and earning his fourth NBA Finals MVP award.
In a landmark moment in October 2024, James and his son Bronny became the first father-son duo to play in the same NBA game, after the Lakers drafted the 20-year-old guard earlier that summer.
With history still unfolding, James remains determined to make every moment count.
