WATCH: LeBron James hits All-Star Game winner in Cleveland
Akron, Ohio native and former Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James won the 2022 NBA All-Star Game with a contested fade-away shot. The current Los Angeles Lakers forward called for isolation against Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine and delivered the game-winner.
Returning to the place he grew up, the city of the NBA team which drafted him and the arena where he made so many memories, it only seemed fitting for LeBron James to win the All-Star Game on the last shot. On a team full of super stars – who he deferred to for most of the night – he held the authority to make the call and take the shot.
James finished the game with 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds to go with three steals and one block. His teammates Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry helped carry the load for his team, scoring 30 and 50 points respectively.
All three players who wanted the ball in their hands at the end also were honored as part of the NBA’s top-75 players of all time during halftime of the game. Steph Curry was also awarded the Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP award for his NBA All-Star record 16 3-point makes.
LeBron James addresses future
LeBron James is more than halfway through his 19th season in the NBA. That’s led to plenty of questions about when he’ll decide to retire as he gets older — and we might have gotten our answer.
James told The Athletic he plans to play his last season with his son, Bronny. Bronny James is a Class of 2023 recruit at Sierra Canyon School in California, meaning he’s a junior. According to NBA rules, Bronny will have to play a year in college or in the G-League before making the jump to the NBA.
That puts a rough timeline on how much longer LeBron will be playing in the NBA. Two years.
“My last year will be played with my son,” James said, via The Athletic’s Jason Lloyd. “Wherever Bronny is at, that’s where I’ll be. I would do whatever it takes to play with my son for one year. It’s not about the money at that point.”
What’s interesting about that timeline is James’ contract with the Los Angeles Lakers expires next year. That means his contract expires the same year Bronny graduates from high school, which could make for an interesting 2023 offseason and 2024 NBA Draft.