“This Is a Shocker”: 38-Year-Old LeBron James’ “The Day I’ll Be Gone” ESPYS Speech Makes the NBA World Go Berserk

Every few years, there comes a player in the NBA that is expected to take over the league. But when one man dominates the show for 20 years, it is simply remarkable. LeBron James is undoubtedly one of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball. But just when people thought he left his legacy behind, “The King” made an astonishing announcement.

LeBron James has defied every assumption that players at the age of 38 cannot compete at a high level in the NBA. His incredible longevity is just one of the unparalleled achievements of the Los Angeles Lakers forward. One of his greatest achievements however was passing Kareem Abdul Jabbar as the all-time leading scorer in the NBA. James was awarded an ESPY For Best Record-Breaking Performance for this incredible achievement. But it was his acceptance speech that caught everyone’s attention.

LeBron James had a decision to make

LeBron James has redefined what a player can do on a court. With sheer mastery in every aspect of the game, “The Chosen One” has proven time and time again why he was named that in the first place. After 2-decade-long dominance he was faced with a tough decision last season.

James and the Los Angeles Lakers had an unbelievable season in 2022-23. After starting 2-10 in the regular season, the Lakers completely turned their fortunes to storm into the Western Conference Finals. They were the first team in the last 18 years to finish above 500 in the regular season too. However, they suffered a heartbreaking sweep against the eventual champions, the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

In an interview after the loss, James said, “We’ll see what happens going forward…but I don’t know,” about his future in the NBA. He further stated, “I got a lot to think about to be honest…just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, got a lot to think about” which left fans in dismay.

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However, The King seems to have thought about it and his decision has made the NBA world go berserk.

The King says not yet

In the acceptance speech for his ESPY award, LeBron James announced his verdict after he claimed to have had a lot to think about. In the speech, he said, “Real question for me is, can I play without cheating this game?”

He then delivered the lines that made several fans take a sigh of relief. “The day I can’t give the game everything on the floor, is the day I’ll be done. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today,” he said.

Fans immediately took to Twitter to react to this statement. Some users claimed they already saw this coming.

Some fans were utterly shocked. Or not?

Fans definitely felt relieved after this news.

Some claimed they cannot handle James’ retirement.

Meanwhile, some users claimed this makes him the greatest of all time.

Whether it will be before his sons, Bronny and Bryce James, enter the league or after, it is at least clear that the end of James’ career is not now.

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The Kid From Akron will run it back with the renewed Lakers locker room next season. With a strengthened roster and James returning, will the Lakers be able to make another deep playoff run?