LeBron James was mic'd up at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, and he gave a bit of a hint about his retirement timeline when talking to a ref during a stoppage of play.

“I gotta slow down,” LeBron James said. “Couple more years…”

The good news for Los Angeles Lakers and NBA fans in general is that he said a couple of more years, not one more year or anything that would indicate that this is his last season.

James just turned 38-years-old in December. Based on his comments, it seems that he is planning on playing into his 40s.

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Fans saw James' appearance in the NBA All-Star Game get cut short at halftime, as he hurt his hand. It is reportedly cautionary, but after hearing these comments, fans might be disappointed that James was unable to participate in the full game for one of the last few times he will play in the All-Star Game.

James is the most accomplished player who participated in the All-Star Game, and he played a big role in the festivities this weekend. He is a team captain, competing against Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two shared a couple of funny moments during the draft. One was when Giannis Antetokounmpo did not select his Milwaukee Bucks teammate Jrue Holiday. The other was when Antetokounmpo picked Ja Morant, who was a starter and not able to be selected.

LeBron James is the face of the NBA, and if he is serious with his mic'd up comment, there will have to be some sort of passing of the torch in the next couple of years.

As far as the next face, Bucks star Antetokounmpo has certainly emerged as a top candidate. For now though, NBA fans still have some time to enjoy James on-court presence.