Mookie Betts made headlines earlier this year when he revealed plans to retire once his Los Angeles Dodgers contract expires at the conclusion of the 2032 season.
Betts, who attended Game 5 of a first-round matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets, was asked if he could see himself playing as long as 41-year-old LeBron James.
The eight-time All-Star shot down that possibility but left the door slightly open on potentially playing beyond his current Dodgers deal, via Doug Padilla of the Southern California News Group.
“Not at all. I’m nothing like LeBron,” Betts said. “I want to be with my kids at 45.
“We’ll see. We’ll get to the end here (of the current contract) and we’ll see. But I’m probably going home after this.”
James just completed his 23rd NBA season and eighth with the Lakers. Even at his advanced age, the four-time champion continues to play at a high level and helped L.A. reach the Western Conference Semifinals despite Austin Reaves missing the start of the playoffs and Luka Doncic not playing at all.
James has not yet decided if he will retire or return for an unprecedented 24th season. Given how well James still played this year, there is a growing sentiment he is not yet ready to retire. However, a final decision doesn’t figure to come until later into the summer.
Mookie Betts working on swing
Betts recently returned from a right oblique strain he suffered just eight games into the season. He was put on the 10-day injured list April 5 and didn’t get activated until May 11. There had been some hope Betts would return before the general timetable of four to six weeks to recover from an oblique strain.
The four-time World Series champion was anxious to return, though downplayed the notion of needing to be a hero of sorts as the Dodgers were struggling at the time. On a personal level, Betts has yet to fully find a rhythm at the plate in his interrupted season.
However, Betts recently expressed confidence in getting comfortable with his swing as he looks to bounce back from a career-worst offensive season in 2025. The 33-year-old shared a similar sentiment during Spring Training when discussing an offseason full of working on his swing.
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