EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- When LeBron James walked onto the court for the Los Angeles Lakers' media day Monday in his gold No. 23 uniform, it signaled a pair of firsts for the 40-year-old superstar.

First off, by entering the 2025-26 season, James will be the only player in NBA history to play 23 seasons, breaking a tie for league longevity with Vince Carter. And secondly, for the first time in James' eight seasons with the Lakers, he is coming into a season on an expiring contract.

Despite the unique circumstances -- a 21-time All-Star coming off an All-NBA Second Team selection and playing with no financial commitment from the team down the road -- James said his contract situation will not affect his performance this season.

"It will have no impact," James told ESPN. "I'm super excit

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