WASHINGTON — LeBron James has decided to exercise his $52.6 million option with the Los Angeles Lakers for 2025-26, solidifying his place as the first NBA player to participate in a 23rd season, according to an individual familiar with the decision on Sunday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither James nor the team announced the decision publicly.

ESPN and The Athletic were among those to first report the decision.

James, who has recently resumed on-court workouts following a period of recovery from a knee ligament sprain sustained during the Lakers’ final playoff game of the past season, mentioned to the AP earlier this month that he anticipated being ready for training camp. This statement clearly indicated his intention to return for a 23rd season, during which he’ll surpass Vince Carter for the longest NBA career by a player.

“I have ample time to address my injury, my knee, and the rest of my body to ensure I’m as close to 100% as possible when training camp starts in late September,” James stated in that interview.

If any doubt existed even after that about James, the NBA’s oldest current player, coming back for at least one more season, it’s gone now. He had until Sunday afternoon to make his decision on the option, one that pushes his career on-court earnings to about $580 million.

This coming season will be his first full year with Luka Doncic as a teammate. Doncic was traded to the Lakers from Dallas in February, but the team — which entered the postseason as the No. 3 seed in a loaded Western Conference — still fell in Round 1 to Minnesota.

James turns 41 in December. He’s been an All-NBA pick in 21 of his 22 seasons in the league, including a second-round nod this past season. No other player has more than 15 All-NBA selections.

He averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists this past season. The NBA’s all-time scoring leader has appeared in 1,562 regular-season games, 49 behind Robert Parish’s mark of 1,611 — the most in league history. If healthy, James would obviously figure to break that mark this coming season.

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