More often than not, players who return to their former team’s home arenas have a great time reminiscing about the past, especially if they won 2x NBA championships with the said team. However, LeBron James, who played against the Miami Heat at the FTX arena last night, suffered another loss with the Los Angeles Lakers. Moreover, instead of reminiscing about the fruitful past, the King was forced to reflect on his struggling present and shed light on his fateful future.

In the post-game press conference after the loss to the Miami Heat, James issued a fiery speech that left the NBA world picking apart every word from the candid monologue. However, some Heat fans took stock of his speech and declared the ‘inevitable.’

King James issues a fiery post-game press conference speech

Last night, the Lakers (14-21) faced off against the Miami Heat (18-17). Unsurprisingly, the shorthanded Lakers, who were missing All-Star forward Anthony Davis, lost despite the herculean efforts of James. The King had a monster night as he put up team-high 27 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. Consequently, in the post-game press conference, frustrated James issued a candid speech discussing his future. 

While talking with reporter Dave McMenamin, James addressed several questions involving the Lakers’ struggles and his future in the NBA. Moreover, James also addressed his retirement plans and his dream of playing with his son, Bronny (18) on the same team. 

When asked about his career’s big picture, James responded, “I’m a winner, and I want to win, And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. That has always been my passion. That has always been my goal since I entered the league as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio.” 

The King added, “I think about how much longer I’m going to play the game. I don’t want to finish my career playing at this level, from a team aspect. I still want to compete for championships because I know what I can still bring to any ball club with the right pieces.” 

LeBron James ignites desperation in Miami fans

Unsurprisingly, James’ fiery speech gave birth to rampant speculations in the NBA world. Most notably, his comments on the Lakers’ struggles and his future with the team led some fans to consider his exit from the team a done deal. 

Here are some fan reactions and speculations from NBA Twitter:

James is having another great individual season at 37. The 4x NBA champion is averaging an impressive 27.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists in year 20.

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James, turning 38 on December 30, also addressed his retirement plans last night. Though the 18x All-Star didn’t attach a number on the season left in his tank, he alluded to his goal of playing with Bronny one day.