It’s official, superstar forward LeBron James is ending his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers and will become an unrestricted free agent. James, one of the all-time great basketball players and arguably one of the greatest athletes in any sport, will change teams for the fourth time in his storied career.
He posted the following statement on social media:
“[It’s] truly an honor to wear the [Lakers colors] while trying to continue the greatness & legacies that came before me! [I] hope I made a few proud during my stint.”
He will turn 42 in December.
James’ future is open-ended, but he has confirmed he will come back next year for what will be a record 24th season in the National Basketball Association.
A perennial All-Pro and a projected Hall of Famer before he donned the purple and gold, ‘King James’ was already a three-time NBA champion when he came to Los Angeles in 2018.
The teams rumored to be eyeing the basketball star are the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat, the Golden State Warriors, and the San Antonio Spurs. James already has a history with Cleveland, winning a championship there in 2016, as well as back-to-back championships with Miami in 2012 and 2013.
A national phenomenon before he reached high school, James was anointed by appearing on the Feb. 18, 2002, issue of Sports Illustrated. Performing in front of sold-out crowds at Akron, Ohio’s St. Vincent–St. Mary’s Fighting Irish varsity basketball team, he went the “prep-to-pro” route with his selection by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the first overall pick of the 2003 draft.
Developing steady improvements after entering the pro ranks at 18, he was traded to the Miami Heat in 2010. James demonstrated his teamwork skills by collaborating with Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade, leading the NBA in 2012 and 2013.
Returning to Cleveland in 2014, James quenched that championship-less city’s thirst by giving the Cavaliers their first professional sports title in 2016. Two years later he again exploited free agency, this time going west to the marquee franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Once in Hollywood, James was able to endure the drama associated with that entertainment bastion, especially after the sudden death of hometown icon Kobe Bryant, and provided a consolation prize of sorts with another title in 2020. It was the fourth personal championship of his career and the 17th in the storied history of the Laker franchise.
The years following were steady enough, as James piled up the expected accolades for an athlete of his caliber, accumulating 50,000 career points and the most regular season minutes played in a career.
LeBron James’ exit leaves his son Bronny on the team roster, with the unenviable prospect of living up to his father’s legacy. The elder James’ departure seems too amicable, as Bronny is in the third of a four-year contract, earning an estimated $2.2 million this season.
The Lakers’ controlling owner and president, Jeanie Buss, expressed appreciation for the departing star’s contributions during his tenure.
“We will always be thankful for his eight years with the Lakers—including the title he led us to in 2020 under the toughest imaginable circumstances and the countless records he broke in purple and gold.”
