Los Angeles Lakers fans can relax, raise a glass of cognac and toast the continuation of NBA superstar LeBron James’s career.
The league’s all-time leading scorer announced his so-called “second decision” on Tuesday and it had nothing to do with the 40-year-old forward’s retirement.
Speculation ran rampant Monday after James posted a brief video on X, showing him walking forward to sit in a chair opposite an unnamed person. The accompanying caption read, “The decision of all decisions. October 7th. 12pm EST. #TheSecondDecision.”
The video parodied The Decision, a TV special in 2010, in which James revealed he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to sign as a free agent with the Miami Heat.
James famously told interviewer Jim Gray, “I’m going to take my talents to South Beach.”
However, instead of leaving the Lakers or calling it a career, the “second decision” turned out to be part of a marketing campaign for a brand of cognac.
It may have left some fans with a bad taste in their mouths instead.
Anticipating a potential retirement, ticket prices for the Lakers’ 2025-26 regular-season finale against the Utah Jazz on April 12 soared from $US82 ($124) to US$580 ($881) for a single ticket, ESPN reported — a 700 per cent increase in cost.
A 21-time All-Star, four-time MVP and four-time NBA champion, James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists last season while finishing sixth in MVP voting. He owns career averages of 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists.
James is the all-time NBA leader in points (42,184) and minutes played (59,041). He has played in 1,562 games, the second-highest total, and he could pass Robert Parish (1,611) to top that list in the upcoming season.
Reuters