Jason Terry thinks the NBA is in good hands if LeBron James retires: "A bevy of guys that carry the torch"
Former NBA champion Jason Terry believes the league is in good hands even after LeBron James' retirement. James has been the face of the NBA for more than a decade and it will be interesting to see who will take the mantle from him.
In an interview on Maggie & Perloff on CBS Radio, Terry was asked about the future of the NBA when "The King" decides to give up his crown. The current assistant head coach thinks that the league is blessed to have a lot of great young players. He also credited James for the impact he had on the next generation of NBA stars.
"Our league is so wealthy with young talent from all across the board," Terry said. "Point guard, bigs, now they got these hybrids. Guys that are playing positionless, that's because of LeBron and the way he's played, his impact on our game. They're not just looking for one guy.
"I think it's a bevy of guys that carry the torch and take our game into the next millennium. You can go down the list, I can't name them because it's probably tampering, but you can go down almost every roster. And there's one guy on each roster that you can honestly say, like he might be the next one guy. But collectively, as a group, I think this is the most talent this league has ever seen."
Is the #NBA looking for the next LeBron like they were 20 years ago when they were looking for the next Jordan?
@jasonterry31 joined @MaggieGray and @andrewperloff to discuss! https://t.co/IfUF9sXul0
LeBron James is already in his 20th season in the NBA. He's no longer the best player in the world, but still one of the best when healthy. A lot of players can take over the NBA, like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic. Joel Embiid could also be in the conversation because he was runner-up for MVP twice.
Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, Zion Williamson, and Ja Morant are also taking over, and could easily be the next face of the NBA. Each team might already have a franchise player, but the talent pool for the next decade is crazy, starting with Victor Wembanyama.
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Dennis Schröder reveals when LeBron James will retire
LeBron James revealed in an interview with The Athletic earlier this year that he will retire once he fulfills his dream of playing with his son, Bronny, in 2024. He changed his tune a few months later, telling Sports Illustrated that he could also play with his second son, Bryce, in 2026.
Well, his LA Lakers teammate Dennis Schröder has an interesting insight into James' retirement plans. Schröder revealed that "The King" wants to play for five to seven more years and possibly retire at the age of 45.
"I asked him how much longer he wants to play and he said he wants to play for five to seven years more years," Schröder said. "He's turning 38 now, he says 45."
In an interview that came out today, Dennis Schröder said LeBron told him he wants to play 5-7 more years and retire at 45. https://t.co/LJwSabGKhc
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