Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Bryan Kalbrosky.
After two decades, LeBron James is nearing the end of his time in the NBA.
Fans don’t know exactly when that time will come for LeBron, who is still able to produce highlight reel productivity whenever he steps on the court. He is still able to draw standing ovations from opposing crowds and put up career-high numbers.
This is the best season we’ve seen yet from LeBron as a 3-point shooter, which has helped extend his career. Even if he loses some of his world-class athleticism, his elite playmaking would allow for him to play at a high level for as long as he wants.
But the sobering reality is that eventually, LeBron isn’t going to want to do this. He has played so many long seasons and playoff runs and that takes an absolutely massive toll on your body.
The four-time NBA Finals MVP acknowledged as much following a victory over the Nets on Sunday night. He was asked how much longer he plans to play in the league and this is what he said:
“Not very long,” James said. “Not very long. I’m on the other side, obviously, of the hill. So I’m not going to play another 21 years, that’s for damn sure. But not very long. I don’t know what or when that door will close as far as when I retire, but I don’t have much time left.”
Depending on the success of the Lakers over the coming few weeks, LeBron could have another postseason under his belt. He said that he wants to play in the Paris Olympics this summer, too.
This all adds up when you are 39 years old and have already played as many intensely competitive minutes as LeBron. The success that he is still enjoying despite that is unprecedented and presumably exhausting.
Of course, there is the obvious factor of his fatherhood. LeBron hopes to eventually play alongside Bronny in the NBA. He has a player option in his contract that would allow him to either stay with the Lakers or become a free agent and join whatever NBA team potentially drafts his son if Los Angeles did not.
Bronny can soon declare for the 2024 NBA Draft if he wants to. Otherwise, he could wait another year and opt to turn pro after another year (or longer) in the NCAA either at USC (or elsewhere) via the transfer portal now that the Trojans will have a new coach.
There are a lot of decisions that both LeBron and Bronny will have to make over the coming few weeks, months and years. Eventually, though, LeBron will have a well-earned retirement to enjoy and basketball will never be the same without him.
What I’m Watching
Tonight offers an incredibly exciting slate of basketball.
LSU’s Angel Reese and Iowa’s Caitlin Clark will have a rematch of the 2023 women’s college basketball national championship. We have you covered with the latest odds for the game, Reese’s quote about the rivalry and Clark’s response to that quote, and plenty more. Their game begins at 7:15 PM ET.
Meanwhile, UConn’s Paige Bueckers and USC’s JuJu Watkins will also face off for a spot in the Final Four. Their game begins at 9:15 PM ET.
If you want more coverage of the tournament, our own Mitchell Northam also took us behind the scenes on what it was like for him to cover the Sweet 16 in Albany.
A March Madness star in the NFL?
No one has become a household name during the NCAA tournament as quickly as North Carolina State big man DJ Burns.
While he isn’t projected to hear his name in the 2024 NBA Draft, some folks think that he may have a future in the NFL as an offensive lineman. Charles Curtis has more:
“Despite the fact that he’s been awesome for the Wolfpack, he may not be a future NBA draft pick (but maybe a UDFA?) despite measuring at 6-foot-9 and 275 pounds. But given that size and athleticism … what about playing on the offensive line in the NFL?
We’ve seen some hoops stars in college — Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham come to mind — go to the NFL and flourish. Could that be a possibility?
First: he did play football before hoops, as you’ll see in the video below, and second, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager says he spoke to some scouts and GMs who sounded interested.”
Burns absolutely has the size to make it work protecting quarterbacks for a living.
But does he want to switch sports this late into his playing career? That is a decision he will have to make after the Final Four.
Shootaround
— The latest 2024 NBA mock draft from ESPN has UConn’s Donovan Clingan in top-3
— Russell Westbrook argued with a heckler who was bizarrely wearing a balloon hat on his head
— Luka Doncic made a 21-foot underhand shot and it wasn’t his most ridiculous shot of the night
— HoopsHype looked at the highest-paid players who never made an All-NBA team