LeBron James Sparks Wild Retirement Rumors and Lakers Ticket Surge With ‘Second Decision’ Tease—so, Is He Finally Ready To Quit the Court?

NBA icon LeBron James sent Los Angeles Lakers fans into a frenzy of speculation about his potential retirement on Monday, when he shared a cryptic post about a "second decision" that led many to assume he was planning to announce the end of his professional basketball career.

James, 40, sparked the flurry of retirement rumors after sharing a brief 10-second video clip on his social media accounts in which he could be seen strolling onto a basketball court, before taking a seat under the hoop.

"The decision of all decisions," he captioned the clip, before adding a date and time—Oct. 7 at 12 p.m. EST—and the hashtag "TheSecondDecision."

As it turned out, the confusing clip was actually just a teaser for an ad campaign for beverage brand Hennessy, with which he is launching a limited edition of cognac called The Second Decision.

But while Lakers fans may have been breathing a sigh of relief—or perhaps venting fury at the panic caused by the teaser—it didn't stop the team's ticket prices from skyrocketing overnight on Monday in the wake of the original clip being posted.

According to ESPN, prices for the least expensive Lakers game against the Utah Jazz on April 12, 2026, had started at around $82 before James' cryptic post was shared.

After it went live, however, those same tickets shot up to $580 each—with a pair of tickets retailing for a minimum of $760.

Ironically, James has attempted to shut down all rumors of retirement during NBA's media days ahead of the start of the 2025-2026 season, which starts Oct. 21.

This upcoming season will mark James' 23rd in the NBA—a record for any player with the sports association—and his eighth with the Lakers.

Speaking to press at the event, the basketball legend conceded that the end of his career is likely coming "sooner than later," but insisted that he does not know when it will officially draw to a close.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to be able to play the game that I love for another season," he said. "However the journey lays out this year, I'm super-invested because I don't know when the end is. I know it's a lot sooner than later.

"It's pretty cool to know how many miles I've got and still be able to play at a high level. For me, age is kind of just a number, but it is reality, too.

"You look at the history of the game, there's not been many guys at my age, especially going into Year 23, that have been able to play at a level like that. I just try not to take it for granted and just try to give the game as much as I can, inspire whoever I can."

At 40 years old, James is currently the oldest player in the NBA—however, he falls short of the record for the oldest player to ever play for an NBA team, which is held by Nat Hickey, who took part in his last game just hours shy of his 46th birthday back in 1948.

Despite his age, James is widely viewed as one of the most skilled players in the NBA, with ESPN ranking him as the eighth best in the league—albeit while asking whether this will be the "last we see of James in a Lakers uniform?"

At the end of the 2024-2025 season, the basketball pro more than proved his worth when he became the first 40 year old to achieve at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a playoff game during the Lakers' match-up against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 22.

James ticked off another major milestone in 2024, when his son, Bronny James, was selected by the Lakers as the 55th overall pick in the NBA draft—a move that saw the duo become the first father and son to play in the league at the same time.

The basketball pro has also amassed an astonishing fortune during his decadeslong basketball career, with Forbes currently estimating that he boasts a net worth of $1.3 billion, having become the first active NBA player to achieve billionaire status.

James signed a huge two-year $101.4 million contract renewal with the Lakers in 2024, which will see him earn $52.6 million this season alone.

As a result of that wealth, the NBA legend has also become a power player in a very different field: real estate, where he has amassed an extraordinary portfolio of homes across the U.S. worth around $70 million.

While he's eager to shut down retirement rumors right now, there is no doubt that James will live a life of true luxury when he does decide to end his time on the court—the only question is which of his homes he will settle down in.

LeBron James' Ohio home base

Over two decades ago, James forked over $2.1 million for a property in his hometown of Akron, OH. The existing home on the property was razed so James could build a custom mansion that is now estimated to be worth around $10 million.

James purchased the property when he was just 18, shortly after he was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA draft.

Although his career has since taken him farther afield, James has hung on to the property, which eclipses his other homes in size. It also boasts an array of impressive amenities sure to impress even the most discerning of homebuyers.

The sprawling residence tops 30,000 square feet and has six bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, and six half-baths. Baller amenities are said to include a bowling alley, recording studio, and barbershop.

In a nod to his love of fashion, James' closet at the property is said to spread across two stories.

NBA icon's former Florida escape

After spurning the Cavaliers and taking his talents to Miami to form a superteam with the Heat, James needed a fabulous place in Florida.

He purchased a six-bedroom mansion for $9 million in the Coconut Grove neighborhood in November 2010. He even snagged a bargain on the waterfront home, which had been listed for $11.9 million.

After four seasons and two rings with the Heat, James returned to Ohio, promising to deliver Cleveland a long-awaited championship.

James put his 16,000-square-foot Coconut Grove home back on the market in October 2014 for $17 million, a serious markup after four years.

It was an ambitious gambit, but James wound up reducing the price to $15 million and eventually selling it in August 2015 for $13.4 million.

James' former house changed hands again in 2021 for $12.75 million. It appears the mansion underwent a makeover and landed back on the market in 2023 with a $21.9 million price tag—before selling for $18.5 million that same year.

LeBron's California compounds

During his second stint with the Cavs, James' eyes wandered out West. In 2015, Cleveland fans were dismayed to learn he had picked up a six-bedroom mansion for $21 million in Los Angeles' tony Brentwood neighborhood.

By this time, James had made his entertainment-industry ambitions clear, so the purchase of a home near Hollywood seemed logical—even if it left Cavs fans worried that he had one foot out the door again.

But then he delivered the NBA Championship to Cleveland, in an improbable upset of the Golden State Warriors in 2016. The win guaranteed him lifetime credit with Ohioans.

However, in 2017—amid rumors of his intention to eventually join the Lakers—he purchased another home in Brentwood, this one for $23 million. The brand-new spec home featured eight bedrooms, marble floors, and walls of glass that open to the Southern California sun.

One year later, the rumors proved true and James signed on to rejuvenate the Lakers franchise. He was content with his pair of Brentwood homes. Then, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the league shut down, and James went house hunting.

He wound up with a true trophy—a compound in Beverly Hills once owned by the creator of the soap operas "The Young and the Restless" and "The Bold and the Beautiful." The prestigious property had been on the market for $39 million, but James sealed the deal for $36.75 million that September.

James ultimately demolished the existing home that stood on the property to make way for a stunning custom megamansion that he began building in late 2023.

In the years since, James' construction team has made some impressive progress on the structure, with new photos revealing a fascinating glimpse into the mammoth size of the basketball pro's future home.

What was once a bare patch of dirt is now home to a multistory compound that features multiple external structures, including what appears to be an impressively large guesthouse.

Perched atop a large hill, the dwelling will offer James and his family incredible panoramic views of Los Angeles when completed.

It's understood that the Lakers star has spared no expense on the property, which is expected to feature an array of lavish amenities, including a resort-style infinity pool, home theater, wine cellar, and—of course—an indoor basketball court.

The spread also offers two detached guesthouses, a screening room, and million-dollar views.

According to insiders, the dwelling's multilevel structure was designed for maximum privacy.

The property is expected to serve as James' primary residence and will potentially be home to his oldest son, basketball star Bronny, as well as his wife, Savannah, and their other children, Zhuri and Bryce.

After buying the Beverly Hills home, James decided to unload one of his Brentwood properties.

He put the house he purchased in 2015 back on the market in 2021 for $20.5 million, a little less than what he had paid. After a few months, it was sold for $19.6 million, a rare loss for an all-time winner.