Lakers' LeBron James Says He's Not Competing in 2028 LA Olympics: 'I Won't Be There'
July 12, 2024
LeBron James isn't putting any timeframe on the end of his basketball career, but don't expect to see the future Hall of Famer wearing a Team USA jersey when the Olympics come to Los Angeles in 2028.
In an interview with Craig Melvin of NBC's Today (h/t Drew Weisholtz of Today.com), James said he won't be playing in the 2028 Games.
"No, I won't be there," he said. "I'm getting the hell out of that city when the Olympics come to Los Angeles. All right, I'll live there all year. I will not be in Los Angeles in '28. I'm getting out of there."
While there was some levity baked into that comment, it does once again put James' basketball career on the clock. He has certainly been paying attention to it over the past 12 months or so.
Jovan Buha @jovanbuhaLeBron James on how long he expects to continue playing in the NBA: "Not very long. … 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." <a href="https://t.co/OtJzM6cheI">pic.twitter.com/OtJzM6cheI</a>
Simple math would strongly suggest this year will be James' final Olympic appearance. At 39 years old, he is already the oldest player to suit up for Team USA. The previous player to hold that distinction was Reggie Miller on the 2002 FIBA World Cup team (37 years old).
The 2024 American team will also be the oldest to play in the Olympics with an average age of 30.1 years old. This is the first time since 1996 that the average age of the squad is over 28 (29.5).
This year marks James' third appearance in the Olympics. He previously played for the United States in 2004, 2008 and 2012, winning gold medals in 2008 and 2012.
James may not have a set date for his retirement, but it seems likely to happen by the time the 2028 Olympics rolls around. He will be 43 by that point. The last player to appear in an NBA game at the age of 43 was Vince Carter during the 2019-20 season.
The four-time NBA MVP signed a two-year, $101.4 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this month. His deal includes a player option for the 2025-26 season.
James and Team USA are on their way to Abu Dhabi for a two-game Olympic showcase starting on Monday against Australia. They will open Olympic play on June 28 against Serbia.