Ian Eagle has called NBA games at the highest level for the entirety of LeBron James’ career, and the Prime Video announcer doesn’t believe this is truly it for The King.
James, as he has in the past several seasons, told reporters he would take time to meet with his family before making a decision about his future. The four-time NBA champion is a free agent after spending the past eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
In a recent appearance on the Sports Media with Richard Deitsch podcast, Eagle, who called three Lakers games this postseason, not only predicted that LeBron James will give far more advanced notice when he finally decides to retire, but also argued that James deserves such a “celebration.”
“I didn’t work that series thinking, is this it? Is this the last we’ll see of LeBron James?” Eagle explained.
“Maybe because I don’t believe it is, and I just feel that he would end on a different note and there would be more of a conversation leading up to it than just an abrupt ending. I don’t see him abruptly ending his career. I think he’s meant so much to the game, and certainly with how popular the NBA has become worldwide, he’s played such a huge role in it.”
Stars such as Kobe Bryant announced their retirement ahead of time, allowing colleagues across the NBA to share memories (and often gifts) during the star’s final visit to a city.
James has become increasingly vocal about his own legacy over time, but it is unknown whether he would want such a “show” during his final season.
“I’m not saying he requires the city-to-city show that would take place knowing that it’s his final year, but I think part of what the NBA is all about is celebration,” Eagle added. “And yeah, there would be a sense of, it would be almost wrong if this thing just ended out of nowhere without a real appreciation from the fans.”
Regardless of what James decides and when, Eagle believes that part of why James would (or should) consider a farewell tour is that nobody currently in the league can “mesmerize” fans like he still can.
“As a broadcaster (you’re) walking into an arena and feeling something different because those individuals … are playing in the game,” Eagle said.
“You felt different. It just had a different vibe to it. And those individuals, they created that. They have that kind of power and they have that kind of pull, and they have that kind of trance. There was a sense of fans being mesmerized by being in the arena at the moment, at that time, and that’s not easy to come by and not easily replaceable.”
As Eagle showed with this perspective, the timing of James’ eventual retirement and how he chooses to go out will have profound ripple effects across the media, the league, and fan bases around the country.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.