By Chalien Dantes

Wednesday night’s trip back to Cleveland hit LeBron James differently, and it might have been his last time playing in The Land. 

The Lakers were crushed 129-99 by the Cavaliers, but the real story wasn’t the scoreboard; it was LeBron, who is currently 41 years old, quietly reflecting on the possibility that this could be his final game at Rocket Mortgage Field House.

During a timeout, the Cavs, which earned its only NBA title in 2016, thanks to LeBron, honoured ‘King James’ with a tribute video that brought him to tears.

The Cavs drafted the then-18-year-old LeBron into the NBA in 2023.

He admitted the thought of “how much juice I can squeeze out of this orange” has crept in more often as he battles Father Time, yet he insists he’ll leave the court on his own terms.

Though LeBron hasn’t planned a farewell tour, he’s savouring the moments, the cheers, the boos, and the memories, realising how unique it is that his mom can watch both him and his son play in the NBA.