Lakers News: LeBron James Says He Has 'A Lot' Left in the Tank Ahead of 22nd NBA Season

James is embarking on a record-tying 22nd NBA season.

Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James is heading into his 22nd NBA season, but he still feels he has plenty more to offer as a player. At 39 years old, and turning 40 during the upcoming 2024-25 season, James is aware that he is in the back end of his career.

Still, James realized he had plenty more to give on the court during his return to Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. “I do have a lot in the tank … a lot," James said during media day on Monday, via Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet.

Playing so well for Team USA let LeBron know: “I do have a lot in the tank … a lot.”

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) September 30, 2024

During the Paris Olympics, his first since London 2012, James 14.2 points, 6.8 assists and 8.5 rebounds per game while helping Team USA win its fifth straight gold medal at the Olympic Games. James recorded multiple triple-doubles over the tournament, and was named the FIBA Men's Olympics MVP. Even as one of the oldest players on the team, James was the most consistent player throughout the Olympics.

James has not only showed during the Olympics how effective he still is. During the 2023-24 season, he averaged 27.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game for the Lakers. The Lakers did disappointingly fall short of the playoffs, but James remained one of the top players in the league.

James' longevity over his career has been remarkable. He has made the NBA All-Star team in each of the last 20 seasons, an NBA record, making it every year since his sophomore season in the NBA. James is also the NBA's all-time leading scorer after surpassing fellow Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 2023. He is the first player to score 40,000 points over the course of his career.

It's unclear when James will retire, but he clearly has at the very least another great season of basketball left.

While James has practically seen it all over his career, he will get to experience something new for the first time this season — playing alongside his son Bronny James. The Lakers drafted Bronny in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, making Bronny and LeBron the first father-son duo to play in the NBA at the same day. Both LeBron and Bronny were in Lakers uniform and spoke together at media day on Monday.

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