Right after the Los Angeles Lakers broke their disappointing three-game losing streak with a dominant 141-116 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, their superstar LeBron James took to social media to drop a message that has sent shockwaves through the basketball world as it could be a reference to his retirement.
As James nears the end of his 23rd season, the tone of his public commentary is impressive. The post he uploaded on his Instagram account can be seen not just as a result of his performance that evening, but as the beginning of a long, painful goodbye.
A message to lovers and haters
This game witnessed one of his most vintage performances of the season, and James shared a series of photos from the win on Instagram to celebrate. The images were accompanied by a caption that left fans in an ocean of doubts:
“No matter if you LOVE or HATE me you will REMEMBER me.”
The statement carries a lot of weight with it, particularly given the context of James’ current career stage. At his 41 years old, playing on an expiring contract, and having already fulfilled his dream of playing alongside his son, Bronny, every word James hints is now being analyzed for clues about his retirement.
A very important decision to make
What makes the “farewell” vibe so complex is that LeBron is not showing the issues of aging, as he keeps dominating every time he steps on the court. Despite being questionable to play as it was the second night of a back-to-back, James suited up and delivered: 31 points, 9 rebounds, 10 assists and had an efficiency of 12 out of 20 throws.
For a player who was a game-time decision, dropping 31 points in 32 minutes is a reminder that while the mind may be contemplating the end, the body is still capable of greatness.
Whether this was an early message about his retirement is hard to guess, but these messages he keeps on posting just prove that the dilemma is on his mind.
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