If LeBron James has proven one thing, aside from his basketball greatness, it’s that he’s also an elite showman.
James, the 40-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star who is set to enter his record 23rd season in the NBA, teased an announcement on social media that will take place at noon Tuesday. James used the hashtag #TheSecondDecision, playfully alluding to his infamous July 2010 televised special in which he announced that he would be joining the Miami Heat in free agency. James also wrote this would be “the decision of all decisions.”
In an accompanying video linked to the social media post, James is seen walking toward an empty chair before taking a seat. The setting is a basketball court, and there is a man sitting across from James, mimicking the setting of James’ initial Decision, when sports anchor Jim Gray hosted the event.
James, who will turn 41 in December, has been facing speculation about his playing future, amid possible retirement plans, and the Tuesday announcement could address that.
During the Lakers media day availability Sept. 29, James addressed his future, though he evaded providing an exact timeline.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to be able to play the game that I love for another season,” James said. “However the journey lays out this year, I’m super-invested, because I don’t know when the end is. I know it’s a lot sooner than later.”
James, however, is also a brand ambassador for several companies, including Nike, Draft Kings and Pepsi. James has also partnered with Amazon, even appearing in a July commercial to promote that month’s Prime Day event.
If the Tuesday announcement is indeed a marketing event, one possible link could be to Amazon, which is launching another Prime Day sales event Tuesday.
Despite his age, James continues to be one of the premier players in the NBA. In 70 appearances last season, he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.
He is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 42,184 career points and holds numerous other NBA records.
James has maintained that he wants to continue competing for championships. The Lakers, who added star guard Luka Dončić in a February trade, finished third in the West last season but were bounced out in the first round of the NBA playoffs in five games against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
