HOUSTON — LeBron James won’t be a part of the ownership group for the NBA’s potential expansion into Las Vegas.
And based on his comments from after the Lakers’ Wednesday win over the Rockets, it doesn’t sound like he’s interested in owning an NBA team, period, after he eventually retires.
Amid a report from The Athletic that stated Fenway Sports Group, James’ business partner since 2011 that owns Boston Red Sox and English Premier League soccer giant Liverpool, isn’t interested in pursuing the NBA’s expected expansion to Las Vegas because of the expected cost – a reported $8 billion – James was asked on Wednesday about his bigger-picture desires to own an NBA team.
“No, I’m not,” James responded. “Not at all.”
James first publicly expressed his desire to own an NBA team nearly a decade ago.
And in 2022, he mentioned wanting “the team in Vegas” if the NBA expanded to “Sin City.”
But with the NBA reportedly looking to add two expansion teams, specifically in Las Vegas and Seattle, ahead of the 2028-29 season, it was always going to be a tight window for James to be a part of the current expansion.
Especially since James, who’s in his 23rd NBA season, is undecided on his playing career for 2026-27.
Wednesday was a reminder that James could keep playing for as long as he wants.
James scored 30 points in the victory over the Rockets, which extended the Lakers’ winning streak to a season-high-tying seven games.
It was his first 30-point game since the Jan. 13 win over the Hawks in which he scored 31 points.
James shot 13-of-14 from the floor, including making his first eight shots, on Wednesday. He shot 7-of-13 from the floor in each of the Lakers’ previous three games.
“Part of the evolution of him on this team has been, particularly in this stretch, it’s just been his patience,” coach JJ Redick said. “His patience, knowing he’s going to get the ball and he’s going to have transition opportunities and he’s going to have plays called for him and he’s going to play off-ball and get a corner three.”
James’ 8-of-8 shooting in the first half against the Rockets was just the second time he’s done so in his career. The only other time: March 18, 2011 – exactly 15 years ago from Wednesday.
The four-time league MVP had six dunks as part of a 30-point performance, including an alley-oop assisted by Luka Doncic that put the Lakers up 117-111 with 1:22 left in the game.
“Look at me right now – right now I feel like s–t,” James said. “But in the game, I felt pretty good. Before the game, I didn’t feel that great. I mean, I was yawning and tired and telling myself, I was literally just like talking to myself like ‘come on, here we go. Let’s figure it out. Let’s get through it.’ But I felt pretty good in the game and I’m happy to be able make a few plays to help our team win.”
Redick, who’s also 41 years old, marveled at James’ physical capabilities as James inches closer to tying, and eventually surpassing, Robert Parish for the most NBA regular-season games played.
“There’s a four-burner theory that when you are trying to like achieve something: there’s four burners on the stove and those four burners are work, health, family and friends and it’s very hard to have all four burners going,” Redick said. “For me, in-season it is work and family. Those are the only two that I have going. Unfortunately, I don’t get to really see friends, outside of the people I work with, and my family. My health sucks. And the last five years I haven’t done a lot to do that and I’ll admit that.
“And watching him, it actually probably makes me feel like a loser and every time he falls on the ground, every time he gets hard in transition, like I feel it too. I feel it too, because I’m just so out of shape right now. It’s remarkable. This is what I was talking about with him is just the preparation that he puts into his body over and over and over again and that to me is like the ultimate sign of competitive stamina. He just holds on to it every single day and he gets ready to ring the bell.”