LeBron James, one of the most influential players in NBA history, recently celebrated his 40th birthday. Remarkably, despite reaching this milestone age, James continues to compete at a high level in the NBA, which is not common historically. There have been only 32 NBA players who played until they were at least 40 years old before retiring, including legends like Jordan, Malone, Stockton, Duncan, and Nash. Many of these players were exceptional in their own right, but at the same age, James' performance stands out significantly, to the point where he can still lead a team to contend for championships.
This season, James has played 30 games for the Lakers, averaging an impressive 23.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game, maintaining a comprehensive stat line. In the latter stages of his career, James has broken numerous records, such as becoming the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. Every point he scores from now on will be a new record. He also holds the record for the most regular-season games with double-digit scoring, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, among others. It's safe to say that James will continue to set new records, and his greatness speaks for itself. It's worth noting that there is another achievement of James that has been overlooked by the outside world: his eligibility for the highest NBA pension.
How much is James' pension? The discussion of this issue is still premature, as James remains an active player. Given his current form, it wouldn't be surprising if he continued playing for another two years. However, the highest NBA pension is virtually guaranteed for him, setting yet another record that will be hard to surpass. According to regulations, NBA players begin receiving their pension at the age of 45 after retirement. James is currently 40, meaning he will start enjoying this benefit in five years. As expected, the longer a player serves, the more pension they receive.
Since 2003, James has played 22 seasons, matching the career length of Vince Carter so far. If we calculate based on 22 seasons, James will receive approximately 4,492permonthafterturning45,amountingtoaround53,900 annually. Once he reaches 50, he will be eligible for his full pension, which would be about 6,739permonth,orroughly80,800 per year. For ordinary people, this is a substantial income, but for James, a few tens of thousands of dollars are insignificant, perhaps not even enough to cover the cost of a single dinner.
It can be confirmed that James' pension in both phases will exceed 53,900and80,800 in the future because he will continue to play. It's challenging to play in the NBA for over 22 seasons; only James has managed to do so in decades. Carter comes second, followed by Garnett, Nowitzki, and other players with a significant gap in between. This means that James' record for the highest pension is unlikely to be broken in the future. How many more seasons do you think James will play?