Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard LeBron James (6) shoots against France power forward Victor Wembanyama (32) in the first half in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Why Victor Wembanyama Might Make LeBron James Retire

Originally posted on San Antonio Spurs on SI
By Matt Guzman | Last updated Jun 21, 2025 4:02 PM ET

SAN ANTONIO — The first time Victor Wembanyama squared off against LeBron James, he expected more.

Not from the four-time NBA champion and Most Valuable Player, of course — James finished the night with 23 points, 14 rebounds, and a pair of steals — but rather from the feeling of facing one of his idols on the big stage at Frost Bank Center.

"I would've thought I would feel some type of way," Wembanyama explained after the game, "but on the court, I was just trying to win ... so no. I didn't have (any) feelings about it."

That night was the second of two straight matchups between the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers. A left calf contusion kept James sidelined for the first contest, so Wembanyama and then-Lakers star Anthony Davis had a big man duel in his place.

In Game 2, Davis sat out and James was in. That night, the Spurs snapped their franchise-worst 18-game losing streak as Wembanyama tallied a double-double of his own with a pair of blocks.

Neither came against James, but he has been denied by Wembanyama a few times across the several games both stars have played against one another. In fact, it may be a leading cause for James' retirement.

“I can't play that much further… As long as Wemby keeps smacking my f***ing shots into the stands, it’s gonna make me retire.”

— LeBron

(via @FanaticsFest, @theshop)pic.twitter.com/l71ZeC7Xfg
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 21, 2025

“I can't play that much (longer)," James said during a panel at Fanatics Fest in New York City Saturday. "As long as Wemby keeps smacking my f***ing shots into the stands, it’s going to make me retire.”

To date, James hasn't hinted at retirement as he still has a year remaining on his current contract with the Lakers, which sets the stage for at least three more contests against San Antonio. If both James and Wembanyama play, the pair of stars are expecting to put on a show.

This article first appeared on San Antonio Spurs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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