When LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers hit Madison Square Garden Saturday night to play the New York Knicks, Mike Breen says he’ll point out it could be the legendary NBA star’s final visit.
But the longtime Knicks announcer, who will call the game for ABC/ESPN, said he’s not going to dwell on that fact, because he thinks the 40-year-old James might play a “few more years.”
How much longer will James play? Breen put a possible number on it: “47 or 48.”
In an interview with The New York Post, Breen said James seems to have plenty left in the tank.
“The way he’s going, I think we’ll be having this conversation in 2032 and 2033 as he gets to 47, 48,” Breen said. “It’s worth mentioning on the broadcast, certainly, because there is that possibility, but because there’s no definitive retirement date yet for him, thankfully, it can’t be a major focus on the game.
“Will we be seeing him again here? Is the crowd responding to him because they think it might be the last time? You just never know. So it definitely has to be a thought coming in because of what he’s meant to the league, and certainly the Garden has always been his favorite road arena. So it will be discussed, but not overblown, because I still have a feeling he’s going to be playing a few more years with what he’s doing right now.”
James is still playing at an elite level, defying his age.
“I said this on the air last week when we did a Lakers game in San Francisco against the Warriors,” Breen said, “but the year he’s having this season at age 40 in his 22nd year in the league is better than the career years of many Hall of Fame players.”
If there are any questions about how much longer James will play, they might center around how much longer he wants to play, rather than physical ability.
Breen said he hopes when James does make the decision to call it a career, he’ll make it well in advance, so he can enjoy a farewell tour.
“I hope he does, because for what he’s done for the game, I think fans around the country, even the people who’ve enjoyed booing him over the years, would love to give him a standing ovation,” Breen said. “Because he deserves that at every arena he’s played in. The player deserves it and the fans deserve a chance to say thank you, as well.”
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.