LeBron James signed a two-year contract to end his career with the Sixers, but his agent and longtime friend, Rich Paul, recently suggested that it’s possible James plays for even longer.
Read more Mayor Parker’s former DEI chief sues the city for discrimination in tell-all lawsuit
“I think Philadelphia’s going to energize him,” Paul told ESPN. “Maybe we get two [seasons]. Maybe we get four.”
James, who is entering his 24th NBA season, is currently 41, and will turn 42 on Dec. 30. He will be the oldest active player in the NBA next season, but he’s far from the oldest ever.
Where does LeBron rank among oldest all-time NBA players?
James will begin the season as the ninth-oldest player in NBA history. If he completes his two season contract with the Sixers, he would retire as the fourth-oldest player in NBA history.
The oldest player to ever play an NBA game was Nat Hickey, who played his final game on Jan. 28, 1948 at 45 years, 363 days old.
Read more Photos from Eagles first day of Training Camp
Even if James were to play four more seasons — and retire after the 2029-30 season — he still would not claim the top spot, because of his late December birthday. But he could finish second, and would be the oldest of any modern-era NBA player.
Have any grandfathers played in the NBA before?
OK, as far as we know, Bronny James does not have a child, nor is he close to having one any time soon. But, he is 21, so it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility that, if James were to play as many as four more NBA seasons, he could become a father at some point during that span — and make LeBron a grandfather.
So for the purposes of speculation, there has only been one previous player to play in an NBA game while also having a grandchild: Robert Parish, who became a grandfather at age 42 and went on to play another NBA season.
Purchase a front page reprint of The Philadelphia Inquirer from Saturday, July 25, 2026, featuring LeBron James following the news that he was joining the 76ers. Buy it here.