According to multiple US media reports, LeBron James has decided to exercise his $52.6 million player option, which means he will become the first player in NBA history to play in his 23rd season, holding the record for the longest career, surpassing legendary star Vince Carter.

Although no official announcement has been made, people familiar with the matter have confirmed the news to the media. James revealed in an interview earlier this month that he was recovering from a knee ligament injury and expected to be healthy by the start of training camp at the end of September. At that time, it was speculated that he would continue to fight.

With the decision finalized, the veteran, who will turn 41 in December, will continue to break his own records. James continued to perform efficiently last season, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game, and was once again selected to the NBA All-NBA Second Team. He has been selected to the All-NBA team 21 times in his career, leading all players.

In addition, James is also approaching the historical record for the number of games he has played, with a total of 1,562 regular season games, only 49 games away from Robert Parish's record of 1,611. As long as he is healthy and plays, James is very likely to surpass it in the new season.

It is worth mentioning that the new season will be the first full season for James and Luka Doncic as teammates. Doncic switched from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers in the middle of this season. Although the Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the playoffs as the third seed in the Western Conference, they were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. James' return has given the Los Angeles Lakers a shot in the arm to once again challenge for the championship in the new season.