LeBron James just started his 24th season in the NBA.

The basketball icon, who is the GOAT in some people’s eyes, extended his own record when he played for the Philadelphia 76ers in their season opener against the New York Knicks.

James is taking things season by season at the moment and has made no announcement about when he plans on retiring. But Stephen A. Smith thinks he knows when that will be.

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Stephen A. Smith says LeBron James will retire after his 25th season

Smith and James have had their conflicts over the years, but what nobody can deny is their deep love for basketball.

The TV personality always has something to say about the games he watches, and it was no different after the Sixers beat the Knicks on the opening night.

James’ debut was always going to be a hot topic of discussion, and Smith admitted on ESPN that he really liked seeing The King play as a center.

Using that, the presenter has come up with a theory on when James is going to retire.

He said: “I love the role that LeBron played and his willingness to be that big guy that’s defending other bigs.

“He has gotten big, as you can see, because he recognises the fact that he’s going to be spending most of his time at the four-to-five position playing for this particular team. So, I get that part.

“And because he’s in his 24th season, age 42 (actually 41), these are the last two years of his career. He’s going to play a quarter century. That’s the goal. Play 25 years and then walk away, retire.

“You know that he’s not trying to be out there every night running up and down the court. That’s not what he’s going to do.”

Retiring after 25 years at the top would be an exceptional achievement, but James has not closed the door on playing for another year.

“When I’m done, will it be 24 years? 25 years? 26 years? Who knows? We’ll see when I’m finished,” James said earlier in 2026.