Ahead of Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic's sixth All-Star Game appearance, he talked about the longevity of his career, one month away from teammate LeBron James' 41st birthday. As for Doncic, he can't see himself in James' shoes during the 26-year-old's eighth NBA season.
Doncic sees a long career ahead of him, but he's not sure if he'll still be able to do it Playing basketball at the age of 41he said, according to ESPN's SportsCenter.
“Definitely not 41,” Doncic said. "I won't play until 41, I'll tell you that."
“Definitely not 41. I won't play until 41, I'll tell you that.”
At what age does Luka Doncic intend to retire😅
(via @sports center)pic.twitter.com/OKkWTcdEpr
- ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 14 February 2026
In his 23rd season, James is still playing at an elite level, averaging 22.0 points on 50.2% shooting, 7.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. While it's hard to imagine LeBron retiring at the end of this season, at the very least, one more season will welcome a 24th season in 2026-27, when James turns 42.
Lakers All-Star Luka Doncic still has some way to go before he can even think about making it a career. Perhaps a conversation for their amusement about a decade from now.
LeBron James hints at retirement after Lakers' win
Lakers veteran LeBron James isn't waiting for his play to decline to retire. Keeping NBA fans excited, James will do this Retire on your own termshe said, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
"My game is not going anywhere," James said, via Dave McMenamin. "It's all these other things, it's a lot of other factors that go into how long the game has to be played. I don't think it would ever have any impact on my game if I decided to continue playing, no matter how long it is. I think it should be [my mind]:How long can I stay in love with this process?
“If I can't continue to be in love with this process, if [my mind] If it goes, my body is going to go. And once my body is gone, it's a wrap.
James and the Lakers entered the All-Star break 33–21, the fifth-best record in the Western Conference.
