The Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks shocked the sports world just after midnight on Sunday, Feb. 2.
With the trade deadline just four days away, the Mavericks agreed to send first-team All-NBA guard Luka Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers for four-time first-team All-NBA big man Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick — a move which sent shockwaves through the league.
Dončić now teams up with LeBron James in Los Angeles and will try to help him win his fifth championship before his NBA career comes to a close. How old is James? Let’s look at his age, how long he has played in the NBA, how many titles he has won, and more.
What Is LeBron James’ Age?
The blockbuster trade addresses the Lakers’ short- and long-term future as the franchise faces some uncertainty about how long James will be able to play at a high level.
While King James is still one of the best players in the league, pairing him with Dončić creates an effective pairing right now while also giving the Lakers a 25-year-old superstar to build around for the future once James retires.
James turned 40 years old on Dec. 30, 2024. He is currently the oldest active player in the NBA and the only 40-year-old in the league.
Born in Akron, Ohio, James played basketball for St. Vincent-St. Mary High School before skipping a collegiate career altogether and entering the NBA straight out of high school in 2003.
How Many Seasons Has James Played in the NBA?
The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted James with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. He spent the first seven years with the Cavaliers before departing for the Miami Heat in free agency with “The Decision” ahead of the 2010-2011 season. Teaming up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, James and the Heat would win back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013.
He stayed in South Beach until 2014, returning home to Cleveland for the 2014-15 season. Forming a trio with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, James led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2016 and completed one of the greatest comebacks in NBA playoffs history, taking down the 73-win Golden State Warriors after going down 3-1 in the series. James remained in Cleveland until 2018, opting out of his contract ahead of the 2018-19 season.
James signed a deal with the Lakers shortly after. In 2020, he helped lead the franchise to its first NBA Finals appearance since 2010. The Lakers eliminated the Heat in six games and King James earned his fourth Finals MVP award.
He is still with the Lakers and is currently in his 22nd NBA season, tying Vince Carter for the longest career in league history.
He has been in the league so long that at the start of this season, James and his son, Bronny, became the first father-son duo to play in an NBA game together after the Lakers drafted Bronny in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft.
At 40 years old and with 22 seasons under his belt, James has not given any indication of when he plans to retire.
What NBA Records Does James Have?
In addition to tying Carter for the most career seasons, James holds the NBA record for career minutes played at 67,825. The next closest active player on the list is San Antonio Spurs point guard Chris Paul, who has played 44,597 minutes and is 20th all-time.
James holds the record for the most points scored in NBA history with 49,538, passing fellow Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 2023. He has played the fourth-most games in NBA history at 1,535 but should move up to second this season (barring injury), passing Carter and Abdul-Jabbar and sitting behind Robert Parish at 1,611 games.
James has won four NBA titles and been named Finals MVP four times. He has also been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player four times. He is a 21-time All-Star, 13-time first-team All-NBA selection, and five-time first-team All-Defensive Team member.
Outside of his NBA career, James has represented Team USA at the Summer Olympics four times, medaling in every appearance (including three gold medals in 2008, 2012, and 2024).
Despite his ability to fight off Father Time, James’ career should be coming to an end at some point soon. The Lakers’ blockbuster trade for Dončić seems to be one final push to get King James another ring before he ends one of the most impressive careers of all time.
