As the NBA gears up for another All-Star Weekend, all eyes are once again on LeBron James - and for good reason. The 41-year-old Lakers legend is still playing like he’s got more chapters left to write. But this time around, it’s his All-Star teammate, Luka Dončić, who’s offering a bit of perspective on just how rare LeBron’s longevity really is.
Dončić, now in his eighth NBA season at just 26 years old, was candid when asked whether he could see himself still lacing them up at 41.
“Definitely not 41,” Dončić said. “I’m not playing until 41, I’ll tell you that.”
That kind of honesty is part of what makes Dončić such a compelling figure - both grounded and self-aware, even as he continues to rack up accolades and All-Star nods. But it also underscores just how unprecedented LeBron’s career has been.
“Definitely not 41. I’m not playing until 41, I’ll tell you that.”
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 14, 2026
Luka Doncic on what age he intends to retire 😅
(via @SportsCenter)pic.twitter.com/OKkWTcdEpr
In his 23rd season, James is still putting up elite numbers: 22.0 points per game on 50.2% shooting, along with 7.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.1 steals. That’s not just aging gracefully - that’s aging like fine wine with a crossover.
And while Dončić might be a decade or more away from having to consider when to hang it up, LeBron is already thinking about what that moment might look like - and, more importantly, what it won’t.
“My game is not going anywhere,” James told ESPN. “It’s all the other things, it’s so many other factors that come with how long [I’ll] play the game.
I don’t think my game will ever suffer if I decided to continue to go, however long that is. I just think it has to be [my mind]: how long can I stay in love with the process?”
That last line is telling. For LeBron, it’s not about whether he can still get buckets - clearly, he can.
It’s about whether he still wants to put in the work behind the scenes: the early mornings, the film sessions, the relentless commitment to recovery and preparation. He knows that once the mental fire fades, the physical part won’t be far behind.
“If I can’t continue to stay in love with the process, if [my mind] goes, then my body is going to go,” he said. “And once my body goes, then it’s a wrap.”
For now, though, there’s no wrapping anything up. The Lakers head into the All-Star break with a 33-21 record, good for fifth in the Western Conference. And with LeBron still anchoring the team, L.A. remains a threat in a tightly packed playoff race.
As for Luka, he’s still building his legacy - and doing it alongside a teammate who’s redefining what longevity in the NBA can look like. Whether or not he ever plays into his 40s, Dončić is getting a front-row seat to one of the greatest careers the game has ever seen. And that’s a lesson in greatness that goes well beyond the stat sheet.