The other side of the hill’ – LeBron James sends ‘Strong’ message on retirement following 40-Point game

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has shown few signs of slowing down, even in his 21st NBA season, but he can feel the end drawing near.

James spoke about his looming retirement following a 40-point performance against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, March 21.

“Not very long. Not very long,” James said about how much longer he will play, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

“I’m on the other side obviously of the hill, so, I’m not gonna play another 21 years, that’s for damn sure. But not very long. I don’t know when that door will close as far as … when I’ll retire, but I don’t have much time left.”

For a player without “much time left,” as James described himself, the game he put together against the Nets was both historical and astonishing.

James, along with Michael Jordan, were the only players to score forty points or more on several occasions after turning forty-nine. James has now completed the feat twice, compared to Jordan’s three times.

While James will turn 40 in December during what will be his 22nd NBA season in the 2024–25 season, providing he doesn’t retire before then, Jordan played his final season at the age of 40.

James not only scored 40 points at the age of 39, but he also made nine of his ten 3-point attempts. After the game, he discussed that performance with McMenamin and other media.

I don’t ever have to lean on [3-pointers] because I can do so much — I can score on any level on the floor basically once I cross half court. But being able to have a growth mindset and be able to work on things that the league is changing to, the league is a heavy 3-point shooting league.

I’m not one of those guys that wants to go out there and shoot 12, 14 or 15 3s per game. But I want to be respected, and teams have to play me from the outside. That’s still kind of one thing teams [think] … “If we have to give up something, we’d much rather him shoot the ball from the outside.”