(AP) — LeBron James has decided to activate his $52.6 million option with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2025-26 season, solidifying his plans to become the first player in NBA history 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 activities following a recovery period for a sprained knee ligament incurred during the Lakers’ final playoff game this past season, mentioned to the AP earlier this month his expectation to be fit for training camp. This strongly indicated his intention to return for another season, surpassing Vince Carter for the longest NBA player career.
“I have plenty of time to address my injury, particularly my knee, alongside the rest of my body, ensuring I’m as close to 100% as I can be when training camp kicks off in late September,” James stated in that discussion.
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.
