The latest return to Cleveland took an emotional toll on Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who seems to know the end is near.
Professional sports in Cleveland are known for producing tears. But a whole new brand of optical discharge was introduced on Wednesday night during the local Cleveland Cavaliers’ clash with the Los Angeles Lakers at Rocket Arena, which was, quite literally, fit for a King.
(Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)
It hasn’t been confirmed whether Wednesday is the last time that LeBron James’ sneakers touch a Cleveland court. But if it was, the Cavs at least gave him a royal send-off during the Lakers’ annual visit: James’ latest return to Cleveland as an opponent literally drove him to tears, as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer was visibly touched by a tribute video his original NBA employers played in his honor during a break in first-half action.
In the aftermath of a 129-99 win for the hosting Cavs, the 41-year-old James continued to break away from his usual stoicism and addressed the uncomfortable truth of his approaching NBA twilight. It’s a feeling, no doubt made more prevalent by his return not only to his home state of Ohio but also to the arena that hosted 11 of his record 23 professional seasons, including each of his first seven.
Was this LeBron James’ Final Game in Cleveland?
“I’m just trying to take everything in, not take the moments for granted,” the Akron-born James said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “It could be [my last season]. I obviously haven’t made a decision on the future, but it very well could be.”
“Obviously, the question [of retirement] gets asked more and the thought creeps in my mind more at 41 years old of when the end is, and where’s the finish line for us to hang this thing up. But the drive is how much juice I can squeeze out of this orange,” James said in McMenamin’s report. “I’m in a battle with Father Time and I’m taking it personal, and I am going to see how many more times I [can] be victorious over him.”
An emotional LeBron soaks in the Cleveland tribute pic.twitter.com/SrcXsUIEfl
— NBA (@NBA) January 29, 2026
James’ legendary NBA journey, of course, began in Cleveland as the top draft pick out of Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in 2003. He would catapult Cleveland back into the NBA’s penthouse before his controversial exit in 2010, six years before he brought a promised championship to the banks of the Cuyahoga in dramatic fashion.
A Nostalgic Homecoming
James dressing in Rocket Arena’s visitors’ locker room is no longer the culture shock it was 15 years ago. His original return to Cleveland as a member of the 2010-11 Miami Heat, coming four months after his polarizing “Decision” to “take [his] talents to South Beach,” likely stands as one of the most bitter homecomings in the history of major professional sports, as James was roundly jeered upon his re-entry with fellow Floridians Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.
The script completely flipped on Wednesday night, which felt like a celebration of James’ career despite the lack of an official farewell notice.
LeBron James is introduced first at Lakers games, but the Cavs still keep the last player designation for him back in Cleveland pic.twitter.com/MLpKfSn1Zw
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 29, 2026
The keeper of clocks no doubt won this round: James was limited to 11 points on 3-of-10 from the field and lost six turnovers in the one-sided defeat. The dozen proved dubious, as it was his smallest scoring output as a Cleveland visitor, just over half of his previous such low (21 in a December 2022 loss with the Lakers).
James’ successors on the other side led by as much as 34 and won their fifth straight, now holding the longest active victory streak on the Association ledgers. That, however, was perhaps a small price to pay for the showcase of nostalgia, which made itself present in several ways throughout the evening.
In addition to the farewell video (rife with highlights of James’ 2007 playoff run, which yielded the first of 10 personal appearances in the NBA Finals), the current Cavaliers wore throwback uniforms emulating the alternate navy threads James wore during his mid-to-late 2000s heyday.
Bronny James Takes the Floor
Some of the biggest cheers of the night came when James’ son, Bronny, entered the game and used the same paths his father did for over a decade to score eight points over the final eight minutes. Richard Jefferson, one of James’ Cleveland companions from the aforementioned 2016 title run, was one of the game’s national narrators for ESPN.
20 years ago in Cleveland, Gloria James watched her 21-year-old son play in the NBA with her grandson on her lap.
Last night in Cleveland, she watched her 41-year-old son and 21-year-old grandson play on the same NBA team. https://t.co/hlJwmqCV8s pic.twitter.com/CZDmgKX4At
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 29, 2026
James also revealed that his mother, Gloria, who is still stationed in the Buckeye State, was among the 19,432 in attendance on Wednesday, no doubt adding to the emotional burden the game carried.
“My mom was here watching her son and her grandson,” James said, per Joe Vardon and Dan Woike of The Athletic. “I don’t even know how to even wrap that all in one in my brain. It’s so weird, so cool, and so surreal. My mom gets to watch her son and grandson play in the NBA at the same time. Man, I actually just started to think how insane that is.”
Possible Reunion with Cavaliers?
With franchise face Donovan Mitchell and sophomore breakout Jaylon Tyson leading the way for the home team, Wednesday may well have been a glimpse of Cleveland’s past, present…and potential future.
Hardwood prognosticators partly believe the end is near for James, thanks in part to his current Laker contract, which expires after this season. But, with that in mind, some believe, or at least hope, that James will return to where it all began for one more go at it at age 42.
While it requires some shrewd maneuvering and raises roster questions, those hoping for such a reunion got some good news prior to tip-off on Wednesday: in a separate write-up for the Worldwide Leader, McMenamin stated that the Cavs would “gladly” host a 24th season for James if he made his way back on their radar this summer.
The Lakers are just past the halfway mark of an eight-game road trip, which could feature several last calls for James if retirement becomes a reality. Los Angeles (28-18) takes the floor in Washington on Thursday (4 p.m. PT, Spectrum SportsNet) before closing out the weekend against the New York Knicks at one of James’ favorite arenas, Madison Square Garden.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
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