• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
LeBron James issued brutal retirement warning by NBA star

Home> NBA

Updated 13:16 4 Jun 2025 GMT+1Published 13:13 4 Jun 2025 GMT+1

LeBron James issued brutal retirement warning by NBA star

NBA veteran Olden Polynice has given his thoughts on the Los Angeles Lakers star

James Taylor

James Taylor

Featured Image Credit: Jon Putman/Anadolu via Getty Images

Topics: Basketball, NBA, LA Lakers, Lebron James, ESPN

James Taylor
James Taylor

James is a sports journalist who specialises in football and Formula 1. He has written for publications such as The Times, MailSport, Sunday Express, Sunday Star and Manchester Evening News. Throughout his career, he has interviewed international footballers and rising Olympic stars. In his spare time, he has the misfortune of being a season ticket holder at Manchester United.

X

@James_Taylor_02

Advert

Advert

Advert

LeBron James, one of the greatest basketball players ever, has been issued a rather brutal retirement warning by former NBA player Olden Polynice.

Now 40 years old, James has enjoyed a fantastic career spanning 21 seasons.

In that time, he was won four NBA Championships and he even became the NBA's leading points scorer two years ago.

Advert

James has won titles at all three franchises he has played for: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and his current team, the Los Angeles Lakers.

But Polynice was sharing his thoughts on James' future during an appearance on Bryon Scott's Fast Break over on YouTube. And it doesn't make for nice hearing if you're King James himself who - for now, anyway - still thinks he has something to give on the court.

He said: "The longevity aspect I think it's getting a little bit too much now because I'm like, dude, what else you want to do?

"You know, it's time for you to start thinking about retiring because, like, a fifth ring, he ain't getting no fifth ring unless he buys one."

Advert

LA Lakers LeBron James with his son (MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)
LA Lakers LeBron James with his son (MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)

What has LeBron James said about retirement and his future?

It was a disappointing end to the season for James as the LA Lakers were knocked out in the first round of the play-offs by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

After the game, when asked how much longer he planned to continue playing, he admitted he was unsure.

Advert

"It's something that I will sit down with my family, my wife, and my support group and kind of just talk through and see what happens, and just have a conversation with myself on how long I want to continue to play," James said.

This season, James and his son Bronny made history as the first father and son duo to play together in NBA history.

Whether James will be tempted to extend his career to continue playing alongside his son remains unknown.

LA Lakers LeBron James.
David Berding via Getty Images

Do others believe LeBron James needs to retire?

After James' Lakers were knocked out in the play-offs by the Denver Nuggets in 2024, former player and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins told James to quit.

Advert

Speaking on ESPN's First Take podcast he said: "'At the end of the day, I hate to say it, but I believe this in my soul right now - I wish LeBron James would retire.

"Not because I don't want to see more of LeBron James, not because I don't appreciate LeBron James.

"But I honestly believe deep down inside, the more LeBron James continues to play the game of basketball, the more it's going to hurt his legacy and the more it's going to continue to hurt his GOAT argument."

James has to decide if he wants to stay with the Lakers for next season by June 29. ESPN's senior NBA insider Shams Charania said he expects James will opt into his player option.

  • Bold LeBron James claim is finally coming true after huge NBA Finals performance
  • LeBron James wants 'Kobe Bryant relationship' from Michael Jordan when he retires from NBA
  • LeBron James faced three NBA players in private 1 vs 1 matches despite insisting he would never play one
  • How LeBron James lost out on $200 million deal due to unique contract clause

Choose your content:

15 hours ago
16 hours ago
17 hours ago
  • 15 hours ago

    Kobe Bryant gave telling response after being challenged to 1v1 match by NBA starlet

    Bryant was challenged to a 1v1 game back in 2012 by an up-and-coming star.

    NBA
  • 16 hours ago

    Shaq didn't hesitate when asked who would win 1v1 between prime LeBron James and Michael Jordan

    It remains one of the biggest debates in basketball.

    NBA
  • 17 hours ago

    Dennis Rodman's 'crazy' visit to club hours before NBA Finals game is one of his wildest stories

    The NBA Hall of Famer was renowned for his party antics.

    NBA
  • 17 hours ago

    LeBron James wants 'Kobe Bryant relationship' from Michael Jordan when he retires from NBA

    LeBron James and Michael Jordan have not spoken too much about their relationship with each other amidst all the talk around the GOAT debate

    NBA