As he prepares for his 23rd NBA season, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James said his priority is getting his left knee healthy in time for training camp.
James, 40, said the knee is feeling “good” after he sprained a ligament in April during the season-ending playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the first round.
James, who spoke to The Associated Press during an interview about starring in a new commercial called “What’s Next?” for Amazon, emphasized that maintaining his body remains essential to performing at the highest level.
“I have a lot of time to take care of my injury, my knee, the rest of my body and make sure I’m as close to 100 percent as possible when training camp begins in late September,” James told the AP.
James said he still thrives on the daily grind and hasn’t lost the hunger to compete; he credits his wife, Savannah, and their three kids as major reasons he continues to push forward. He is inspired by the chance to share the court with his oldest son, Bronny, who also plays for the Lakers; to watch Bryce begin his college journey at the University of Arizona; and to cheer on Zhuri as she pursues volleyball.
James, who has a player option for next season that will pay him more than $56.2 million, said the best thing about his children is they’ve never pressured him to end his career.
“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,'” he said. “When you have that type of support… it makes it a lot easier.”
This past season, James averaged 24.4 points per game along with 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds and was an All-NBA selection.
James knows the end of his legendary career is coming, but he isn’t sure when. He said it would be “insane” if he stuck around long enough to play with Bryce, who would be draft eligible in 2026.
“At this point of my career, you think about when the end is. That’s human nature,” he said. “You think, is it this year? Or next year? Those thoughts always creep into your mind at this point of the journey. But I have not given it a specific timetable, date. I’m seeing how my body and family reacts too.”
Photo: David Berding/Getty Images
