LeBron James, now 40, says he can play at 'high level' for nearly another decade

Later Tuesday, LeBron James will become the first player in NBA history to play a game both in his teens and in his 40s.

The NBA's all-time leading scorer turned 40 on Monday, and in his record-tying 22nd season, he's his vintage self.

He's averaging 23.5 points per game, which is his lowest since his rookie season, but his 9 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game are both better than his career averages.

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No, he's no longer the best player in the NBA, but he's still producing numbers that plenty would kill to have — and he says that could happen for a while longer.

James has not shied away from the idea that he's somewhat near retirement, but he did say on Monday that his eventual retirement "won't be because I can't play this game at a high level.

"To be honest, if I really wanted to, I could probably play this game at a high level for another five to seven years if I wanted to," James claimed. "But I'm not going to do that."

He was also adamant that once he hangs it up, he's done.

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"No, no, no, no, no," he said when asked if a comeback would be on the table. "I will miss the hell out of it for sure. But no, I won't walk away and then come back."

James currently has a player option worth nearly $53 million next season. Earlier this season, his son, Bronny, made his NBA debut, making the Jameses not only the first father-duo to both be active at the same time, but also the first duo to be teammates.

The four-time NBA champion also became the all-time minutes leader earlier this season, surpassing another record Kareem Abdul-Jabbar once held.

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