Netflix’s ten-part docuseriesStarting 5,which followsfive basketball superstarsas they travel through the 2023/2024 NBA season, majors heavily on the career and possible future of LeBron James,the league’s longest-ever serving player and icon of the game. At 38, nudging 39, James is undoubtedly at the back end of a sparkling career that has spanned more than two decades and taken in four Larry O’Brien Championship Trophies. James' standing in basketball history is unquestioned, and his form throughout the 23/24 season as indicated byStarting 5and its many reveals, suggests that he still has plenty left in the tank.
That said, time stands still for no one, and James' exit will inevitably come. ThroughoutStarting 5the father of three drops hints that suggest he’s ready to sail off into the sunset, but then continues to press claims to extend his career with top-notch performances and a trademark gladiatorial mindset. Preparation and commitment, he says, is the key: “My dedication to my work is a huge part of the reason I’m able to play at this level.” Mike Mancias, James' trainer, marks his “professionalism - the way he takes care of his body,” as key.
LeBron James Says He Might Not Reveal His Retirement Plans In Starting 5
James Remains Coy About His Future
Yet,inStarting 5James is uncharacteristically coy about his plans. In episode 8, “I’m Here!” after the Lakers are eliminated, and their season is done, he’s asked if his career is over, and he simply replies “I’m not going to answer that.” Back in episode 1, “Meet The Hoopers Part 1,” with the NBA season stretched out before him, he seemed bullish: “If I felt there was anybody more fit than me, I could possibly sit out a little longer. I have not seen that yet.” That internal conflict in James resurfaces continually throughoutStarting 5and is never properly resolved.
It’s clear that James doesn’t need basketball. In episode 9, “Passing The Torch,“the documentary anoints him as the first active NBA player with a $1 billion net worth, per Forbes. James' court earnings merely scratch the surface of his earning potential: lucrative endorsements with Nike, Coca-Cola, and AT&T bring in $80 billion annually. His lifetime contract with Nike is said to be worth over $1 billion alone. Savvy investments in Blaze Pizza and production company SpringHill Entertainment also boost the coffers.LeBron James is box office as much off the court as on.
What LeBron James Has Previously Said About Retiring From The NBA
James Flirted With Retirement Before The 2024 Olympics
It was after losing in the Conference West Finals in 22/23 that James first mooted retirement - “We’ll see what happens going forward, but I don’t know” - before announcing that he was to be available for the 2024 Paris Olympics.Since then, he’s played a game of cat and mouse with the world of basketball,and ifStarting 5set out to provide the final word on LeBron James' career, it failed spectacularly in that regard. The 6 foot 9 inch Akron native remains stubbornly enigmatic throughout the documentary.
“Bronny’s college basketball career is flourishing, and an NBA berth beckons”
Perhaps the heartwarming scenes featuring James’s family time give the greatest indication of his intentions.James is nothing if not a family man, and retirement would see him able to spend more time with childrenBronny, Bryce, and Zhuri. Even then, a contradiction occurs - during the documentary, Bronny’s college basketball career is flourishing, and an NBA berth beckons (in fact, Bronny would be drafted as the Laker’s 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft). Regardless, it is certain that James, with his legacy secure, will eventually want to go home.
When Will LeBron James Retire From The NBA?
It’s Clear LeBron James Isn’t Done Yet
DespiteStarting 5’s mixed messages, it seems clear that LeBron James isn’t done yet.The lure of him and Bronny becoming the first father-son combination on an NBA team in historyhas been, it seems, too strong to resist. ThroughoutStarting 5,his continued commitment to training (it’s suggested he spends $1.5 million annually just on keeping his body in shape) and to being the best he can be shines through, and seems undimmed.
What is certain, however, is thathe enjoys the constant conjecture about his future and will continue leaving a trail of might-be’sthroughout the NBA’s 2024/2025 season. InStarting 5’s sixth episode, “All Star, Baby,” he tells his dressing room colleagues that, when he finally decides to hang up his boots, he’ll not be making any headline-grabbing announcements: “I’m not telling nobody. I just won’t show up to work the next day. Nobody’s gonna know.”
Starting 5
Cast
NBA superstars LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum, Domantas Sabonis, and Anthony Edwards give fans an intimate look at their lives on and off the court. The docuseries follows their 2023-2024 season, capturing not just the intense games but also personal moments with family, showing the balance between professional demands and personal commitments.
