Bold claims about LeBron James’ long-term plans have sparked another debate about how the Philadelphia 76ers star wants his career to be remembered.
With his 24th NBA season approaching, LeBron James remains at the center of conversations about legacy, championships, and records. Stephen A. Smith recently suggested that James is chasing another title before he’s done.
Smith’s comments have fueled discussion about where Stephen Curry fits into that all-time championship race. While James hasn’t confirmed Smith’s theory himself, the remarks have added another layer to an already fascinating final chapter of his career.
What did Stephen A. Smith actually say?
Stephen A. Smith recently shared his thoughts on LeBron James’ long-term plans while discussing the four-time NBA champion’s future. Rather than focusing only on where James signed for next season, Smith shifted the conversation toward the bigger picture of championships.
Smith said James is motivated to play a 25th NBA season specifically to chase more titles. He argued that another championship would let James surpass Stephen Curry’s four rings, and two more championships would let him tie Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan at five apiece, pulling him within one of Michael Jordan’s six.
According to Smith, “With LeBron, we’re talking legacy. We’re talking the opportunity for him to catch Kobe and Tim Duncan, to surpass Steph Curry. To pull within one of capturing Jordan if he decides, which I believe he is aiming to do, meaning play in 25 years.”
Why Stephen Curry became part of the conversation
Smith’s comments were specifically about championships. He framed Curry as a measuring stick because a fifth title would let James surpass Curry’s current count of four rings, putting him ahead of another defining champion of his era.
That distinction matters because James already trails Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Michael Jordan in championship count, even as he sits well ahead of most of his peers in longevity and career scoring.
He has already broken the NBA’s all-time scoring record and continues adding milestones well into his 40s, and Smith’s theory is that two more seasons in Philadelphia give him two more real shots at closing that title gap.
Fun fact: LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in February 2023, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s long-standing record after it stood for nearly 39 years.
LeBron’s legacy already stands among the greatest
James enters his 24th NBA season with one of the most decorated careers in basketball history. He owns four NBA championships, four MVP awards, four Finals MVP honors, and has earned more All-NBA selections than any player in league history.
He has also become the first player to score more than 50,000 combined regular-season and playoff points. Those achievements have shifted many debates away from statistics alone and toward questions about longevity, consistency, and sustained excellence.
Even without another championship, every additional season gives James another opportunity to extend records that may stand for decades. That is why discussions surrounding his future continue to draw attention across the league.
Where does Michael Jordan fit into the discussion?
Smith also referenced Michael Jordan while explaining why another season could matter, not because of games played, but because of championships. Jordan won six titles during his career, two more than Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan’s five apiece, and four more than Curry’s four. If James wins two more championships over his final two seasons, he would pull within one of Jordan’s total.
That does not automatically settle debates over who is the greatest player ever. Fans, former players, and analysts continue using different standards, including championships, peak performance, individual awards, and overall impact on the game. Smith’s point centered on the championship count as the category where James could still meaningfully close the gap with basketball’s biggest names.
Fun fact: LeBron James became the first player in NBA history to share the court with his son after Bronny James joined the Lakers, creating one of the league’s most memorable family milestones.
What has LeBron James said about retirement?
James has said he seriously considered retirement after the 2025-26 season ended, and that he needed time to decide whether he still loved the game. He ultimately chose to keep playing, signing a two-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers rather than retiring.
Smith, for his part, has publicly said he doesn’t buy that James ever seriously considered walking away, arguing the two-year deal, even with a player option, signals James is planning to play out both seasons in pursuit of a fifth championship. That skepticism is one reason analysts continue picking apart every angle of James’ decision, since it will shape the closing chapter of one of basketball’s greatest careers.
Until James directly confirms his motivations, any discussion of why he chose to keep playing remains speculation rather than fact.
Why this conversation resonates with NBA fans
Legacy debates have followed James throughout most of his career, and championships have always been at their center. Today, those debates increasingly focus on whether he can add to his ring count in the twilight of his career, competing against players a decade or more younger.
Stephen Curry’s inclusion in Smith’s comments reflects how championship count remains the sport’s most closely tracked measure of greatness. Curry transformed basketball with his shooting and has four rings of his own, while James is trying to add to his four before his career ends.
Whether fans agree with Smith’s interpretation or not, his remarks have encouraged another thoughtful discussion about how James wants the final years of his career, now with the 76ers, to shape his historical standing.
Fun fact: Only a handful of players in NBA history have appeared in 20 or more seasons, making every additional year LeBron James plays an increasingly rare achievement.
TL;DR
- Stephen A. Smith believes LeBron James may aim to play a 25th NBA season.
- Smith suggested that longevity is an important part of James’ legacy pursuit.
- His comments referenced surpassing Stephen Curry in seasons played, not championships.
- LeBron has not confirmed how long he intends to continue playing.
- The discussion highlights how fans and analysts continue evaluating James’ place among the NBA’s all-time greats.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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