Skip to main content

WNBA legend offers thoughtful retirement advice for LeBron James: 'It's just as much about the fans'


LeBron James may be 21 years into arguably the greatest NBA career any player has ever had, but all good things come to an end eventually. Whether it's in one year or several, James will eventually play his final NBA game, and as he claimed at All-Star Weekend, he's not exactly sure how he wants that to play out.

"I don't know how many seasons I have left. I know it's not that many. I was asked this question a couple days ago, 'Will you take the farewell tour or just 'Tim Duncan' it?' I'm 50-50," James said. Duncan, famously, did not publicly reveal his retirement plans during the 2015-16 season. His San Antonio Spurs were eliminated from the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder and he quietly retired afterward.

During that same season, Kobe Bryant went on one of the most extravagant retirement tours the NBA has ever seen. Teams gave him gifts as he arrived in arenas for the final time, and the whole affair culminated with a 60-point finale in his last game against the Utah Jazz. 

Bryant wasn't the first player to do a retirement tour. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had a famous one of his own at the end of his legendary career, and New York Yankees legends Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera both had extravagant sendoffs. But Duncan and Bryant, both due to their stature and their differing preferences, have become the modern example of the retirement spectrum. James, publicly at least, has indicated that he currently falls somewhere between the two.

Fortunately, another basketball legend has some advice for him. WNBA icon Sue Bird followed Bryant's path and had a tour of her own for her final season, and in an appearance on Sports Media with Richard Deitsch, she advised James to do the same.

"When I look back I still have fond, fond, fond memories," Bird said of her tour. "I wouldn't change a thing. I'm so glad I announced when I announced and I got to experience the farewell tour, and I was actually anti-that at one point a couple of years prior, so that was interesting for me to experience it in that way. My only regret is how the season ended because we lost.

"Otherwise, no, whoever this applies to, I could not recommend this more. I tell Diana, 'I cannot recommend this enough,' if I talked to LeBron right now, I'd be like 'Bro, I could not recommend this enough.' Because what I realized is a couple of things. One, it's just as much about the fans and them being able to say goodbye to you. And I always thought of it like, 'I don't know if I want this attention.' You have to almost see outside of yourself and understand that this is going to be meaningful for so many people. The second thing, I will say, it can be a lot. It can be a lot, but I just think the pros outweigh the cons. I'll finish with, it is each individual's choice, you have to be up for it, or game for it. I would just always argue that there might be things you personally gain or things you learn about yourself, your career, your relationship with the fans without this experience."

Given his longevity, fans need that opportunity to say goodbye to James more than they have for any other star in league history. He's been around for over two decades with no end in sight. He's already played against 40% of all players in NBA history, and that number is going to creep closer to a 50-50 split the longer he stays in the league. There are quite a few adult fans that have never experienced an NBA without James in it.

Fortunately, while James himself hasn't made a commitment in one direction or another, the general consensus seems to be that he is likelier to do one than not. Yes, he hinted at retirement consideration after losing the Western Conference Finals last season, but those comments were dismissed so heartily by the rest of the league that Nuggets coach Michael Malone even joked about them at after Denver won the title.

James has never been subtle. Whatever he does, he does it with flair. The thought that the player behind "The Decision" might retire without any fanfare seems very unlikely. If Bird's comments help push him over the top, then all the better.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NBA Monday Morning Shootaround: LeBron James, The Hunger Games, and More - Bleacher Report

Welcome to the "Monday Morning Shootaround," Bleacher Report's recap of the weekend that was in the NBA. Along with getting you caught up on the weekend’s playoff action, we’ll give you a sneak preview of what could potentially be the greatest basketball book of all time, show you the best 70-year-old playground superstar ever, and tell you about a young star that just might choose religion over the fame and fortune of the NBA. The Opening Tip * ABC cameras caught LeBron James reading The Hunger Games before the Miami Heat played the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Shortly thereafter, the Miami Heat small forward proceeded to go into full Katniss Everdeen mode to the tune of 40 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists as the Heat pulled out a hard-fought 101-93 victory. After a slow start, Heat guard Dwyane Wade finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists of his own. But Sunday afternoon was all about James and his gaudy numbers, virtually all of which we...
Post a Comment
Read more

What Happened to the Rivalry Between LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony? - Bleacher Report

They were two young stars with unique and special abilities on the basketball court. They had recently played in a high-attention scholastic contest against each other. They were both selected in the same draft. The LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony rivalry was supposed to be the best individual rivalry since Magic and Bird. But while the relationship between Bird and Johnson is dramatized in a new Broadway play , Anthony and James will meet for the 15th time in their careers and do so without much fanfare. James and Anthony first met in a USA developmental camp in 2001 . Much like how Johnson raved about Bird after they played together on a college All-Star team playing in an international tournament, James couldn’t stop talking about Anthony. The two squared off in a high school showcase game the following year that pitted the player regarded as the best senior in the country (Anthony) against the one that was the best junior in the country (James), a game Anthony’s team wo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Breaking Down the Differences Between LeBron James and Kevin Durant - Bleacher Report

LeBron James and Kevin Durant are being coined as "the future of the NBA 's next generation." That is certainly true, but they aren't exactly on the same level. LeBron and Durant are two different players, who bring varying skills to different facets of the game. Instead of just comparing them in a "who's the best" fashion, let's take a minute and break down which player excels in each and every facet of the game of basketball. Ahead is a breakdown of the differences that exist between LeBron and Durant.  Scoring Ronald Martinez/Getty Images LeBron 2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 27.1 points, 53.1 FG%, 36.3 3P%, 77.1 FT% Durant 2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 28.0 points, 49.6 FG%, 38.7 3P%, 86.0 FT% Scoring is what Kevin Durant does. It's not only his specialty, it's also what makes him such a dangerous and elite player. With that being said, LeBron isn't exactly a slouch on the offensive side of the...
Post a Comment
Read more