LEBRON JAMES AT 41: "I’VE NEVER BEEN SORRY," KING CLAIMS ELITE STATUS IN SEASON 23
LeBron James enters his 23rd season with a defiant message. Discover if the Lakers star can still "turn it on" for a 5th ring.
LeBron James is in his 23rd NBA season, still suiting up for the Lakers. No one’s played longer in league history. He just made another All-Star team, which says a lot that he’s still among the game’s elite.
But for the first time since he was a rookie, LeBron isn’t considered a top-10 player. His skills have faded a bit over the last couple of years. Doesn’t matter to him, though. He still thinks he can take over any game, any night. That part of him hasn’t changed at all.
After blowing out the Mavericks by 20, LeBron didn’t hold back. The man’s 41, but he said, “I’ve never been sorry at basketball. I’ve been good ever since I started playing it. I just try to keep it going, as I said, and work on my game. I was out early today, working on my game. I give all the praise to the people before us, to the game gods, basketball gods, and things of that nature. Any given night, if I need to turn it on, I can turn it on.”
He really believes it. LeBron’s confidence is untouched; he still sees himself as the guy, the best in the world, whenever he decides to flip that switch. The reality? He can’t do it every night anymore. Not at 41.
The Lakers have the NBA’s 11th-best offence, and that’s partly because LeBron, when he feels like it, still charges the lane like nobody else. He’s convinced he can still lead a championship team, even now, with Luka Dončić on the roster.
But time isn’t on his side. LeBron’s future after this season is up in the air. He’s got a player option if he wants to stick around, or he could finally call it a career. Judging by the way he talks, he’s not ready to walk away; he still feels like one of the best when he’s locked in.
Nobody knows what jersey he’ll wear next year, but he’s enjoyed his run in LA. One thing’s clear: he’s chasing that fifth ring, the one that’s eluded him since the Lakers won in the Bubble. This might be his best shot to do it in Los Angeles.
If the Lakers want to make it happen, they’ll need LeBron, Luka, and Austin Reaves to stay healthy. That’s their only real shot at another title.
RORY MCILROY TARGETS SEVENTH MAJOR AT ARONIMINK FOLLOWING EMOTIONAL MASTERS DEFENSE
No long break for Rory McIlroy! After his 6th major win, McIlroy eyes the PGA Championship at Aronimink this May.
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Rory McIlroy isn’t following the same script after this Masters win. When reporters asked if he’d take another long break, as he did in 2025, Rory had a different plan in mind.
He’s not disappearing for months this time. Instead, he’s taking a couple of weeks off before jumping back into PGA Tour action. The next big event on the calendar is the PGA Championship, starting May 14 at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, but it sounds like Rory wants to get some tournament play before then.
He talked about his mindset shift after winning again at Augusta. “My schedule’s going to be different this year,” he said on April 13. “Last year, I thought winning the Grand Slam would be the destination. But actually, it’s just part of the ride. Now that I’ve won my sixth major, I feel great about my game and my body.
“I waited ages to win the Masters, and then I won two in a row. I definitely want to enjoy this. I’ll take a couple weeks off, but I don’t think I’ll hit that motivation lull I felt last year after the win.”
So, what comes next for Rory? He’s skipping the RBC Heritage this week, and his appearance at the Zurich Classic isn’t confirmed either.
Then, there’s Donald Trump, who might’ve let the cat out of the bag. After congratulating Rory on social media, Trump said he was looking forward to watching him at Doral during the Cadillac Championship on April 30. That’s not an official confirmation, but it’s a pretty solid clue that Rory’s next start could be there.
Now that he’s up to six majors and finally has back-to-back Masters titles, Rory’s thinking ahead. The next big stop? The PGA Championship, where he’ll chase number seven. But he’s not feeling satisfied just yet.
“I don’t want to put a hard number on it, but this is just part of the journey,” he said. “I’ve still got things I want to accomplish even as I make sure I enjoy the moment, too.”
LUKA DONčIć'S RETURN TIMELINE REVEALED; ESPN ANALYST HINTS AT LATE FIRST-ROUND COMEBACK
Ramona Shelburne reveals a potential return timeline for Luka Dončić. Discover how the Lakers can save their season.
So, when exactly might Luka Dončić make his return from that hamstring injury? A leading ESPN analyst has put forward a timeline that, if it holds true, could significantly improve the Lakers’ chances in the playoffs.
Why is this important? Because the timeline hints at Dončić possibly coming back during the first round, assuming the Lakers manage to push the series beyond a quick exit.
Dončić, originally from Slovenia, has quite a background. As a teenager, he spent five years playing for Real Madrid, even leading them to a EuroLeague title in 2018. That same year, the Atlanta Hawks picked him third overall in the draft but traded him immediately to Dallas.
Right now, Dončić is back in Spain for treatment on the hamstring he hurt early April during a Lakers loss to the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Reports from the Los Angeles Times suggest he’s undergoing advanced therapies like ultrasound-guided platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell injections, approaches designed to accelerate healing.
It’s interesting to note that while the US only allows PRP and stem cell treatments using the patient’s own cells without manipulation, European regulations are less strict. This means doctors there can boost the concentration of anti-inflammatory agents or culture stem cells over several days, potentially speeding up recovery.
So, if these treatments yield the hoped-for results, when might Dončić be back on the court? ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne shared her perspective during a recent interview.
She pointed out that Dončić’s return could give LeBron James a fitting finale in his long and storied NBA career, basically setting the stage for a memorable chapter. Shelburne mentioned that there’s a chance Luka could rejoin the team later in the first-round series. He’s actively receiving daily treatment in Spain and stays in constant communication with teammates, which sounds promising.
Even if he doesn’t make it back for the entire first round, that window of possibility offers some hope. If the Lakers can stretch their series by a couple of games at home, maybe Dončić’s comeback becomes more than just a distant dream.
Put simply, whether Dončić returns during the first round seems to hinge on whether the Lakers avoid a sweep by their likely first-round foe, the Houston Rockets.
Looking at the Lakers’ playoff picture with just one regular-season game left, they’re on a two-game winning streak heading into Sunday’s finale against the Utah Jazz, a team sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference.
Win that game, and the Lakers secure the No. 4 seed, thanks to tiebreakers over both Houston, trailing by one game, and the Denver Nuggets, a game ahead. That would set up a first-round matchup against Houston.
However, if the Lakers win and the Nuggets lose their last game to the Spurs, the Lakers could leap to the No. 3 seed and host the Minnesota Timberwolves instead.
