LeBron James May Retire Earlier If Son Decides To Play College Hoops

LeBron 'Bronny' James Jr. #0 of Sierra Canyon High School is greeted by his father LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James’ wish to play alongside his son, Bronny, is apparent.

The four-time champion made that clear when he said that he wants to play his final year with his son.

“My last year will be played with my son,” LeBron told The Athletic. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point.”

The earliest time that Bronny can make the jump to the NBA is by 2024. This is with the understanding that he opts to join the pro ranks straight from high school like his father.

Bronny, through his ESPN recruiting bio, shows him having an interest in several college teams. That includes Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA, and North Carolina.

Hence, there are several factors to consider if the Los Angeles Lakers star will see his wish come true.

For now, there is also the question of whether the 17-year-old has the hops to make it in the NBA–outside the fact that he is the son of LeBron.

Through it all and depending on how long LeBron has the appetite to play NBA ball, there is also the chance that he could end up retiring earlier than expected.

A former NBA player who saw action for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 80s, David Magley gave his take on the possibility of seeing the father-and-son tandem when he appeared on the Sports For All PH podcast hosted by Filipino journalists Vincent Juico and Brian Yalung.

“[I think] he (LeBron James) would love to. But I mean 37 now and I’ve seen Bronny play in only twenty, thirty-second highlights. I don’t know how good he really is. I mean, is he an NBA player? I don’t know,” Magley explained.

“If he is, how cool would that be? I mean to be playing for a year or two with your son? It would be unbelievable."

For now, it all depends on what Bronny has in mind. But if he does opt to forego college, the next question is will he live up to the hype and be as good as his father.