Last night was maybe the last time LeBron James walked off in a Purple and Gold jersey. This, maybe, was also the last time he suited up. Period. At 41, with Year 23 officially wrapped up, the questions surrounding the Chosen One’s retirement are back at the forefront. James has never directly addressed them with a clear answer, but acknowledged that the end is sooner rather than later. He’s now revealed what it takes to decide if there will be a Year 24.

Having the same routine has been the catalyst behind James’ longevity. Those early morning hours, waking up to start a workout or getting to the arena well before game time: James fell in love with all of that. But now, at a stage when his family deserves a seat at the decision-makers’ table for the sacrifices they made, James revealed that their input matters most. In the end, though, he kept coming back to the process, comparing it to Michael Jordan.

“[Jordan] was just talking about his desire for the game still, like even though he’s not playing, but like he still loves the game,” James said after Game 4. “Like that would never go away. Like we grow up playing a game that we love, and you do it at a high level, and I don’t think that’ll ever go away.”

What Jordan said is that the love for basketball propelled everything he built, and not the other way around. MJ just needed a basketball hoop to be happy. That’s exactly how LeBron feels about the games. The rewards and accomplishments came with mastery and decoding the art of winning. That’s where the process is really important. It acts as a sense of control, where James knows that taking that path leads to titles.

“I’ve always enjoyed the process more than the outcome, so I think that would be a big factor,” James revealed. “Then also, have a conversation with my 12-year-old daughter, that’s a big factor. And my 19-year-old son is entering his second year at Arizona, and my wife, as well. So, they’re a huge factor in any decision I’ve made. So, they’ll be a big part of it as well.”

The Akron Hammer also needs to engage in some self-reflection. Would James still want to arrive at 8 am for an 11 am practice? Does he still feel like diving for loose balls? That’s not to be confused with his love for the game. James didn’t turn into a basketball junkie because that was how you win in the NBA. That side of him is innate.

LeBron James opens up on first-time experience in Year 23; reveals why he keeps coming back for more

Having to adjust alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, LeBron James felt he had found something new that he’s never done before. “I’m not looking at my year as a disappointment. That’s for damn sure. Especially, I mean, I was put into some positions I’ve never played in my career before. Actually, in my life. I’ve never been a third option in my life,” James opened up.

That period was brief. Doncic’s hamstring strain and Reaves suffering an oblique injury meant James was back at the throne. Through ten games in the postseason, the 22-time All-Star averaged 23.2 points and 7.3 assists per game. At 41, he carried the Lakers past the Rockets and scored 20+ against the Thunder in three of the four games.

But the story ended in a second-round sweep… and it reaffirmed to the NBA world that, if he wants to,  James can give the game much more.

There’s just nothing more left to prove. He’s a four-time champion, multiple-time MVP, and Finals MVP, and sits on top of the scoring charts. James completed basketball well before retirement talks started to creep through. There’s just one thing that would keep him going.

“Just being able to compete and trying to win championships,” James added. “I think that’s a motivating factor. It’s always been, since probably the first time I touched the postseason in ’06, I was like, ‘How can I compete for a championship?’ Like when I touched the postseason, I was like, ‘Oh, this is something I want to be a part of for a long time.'”

A potential return to the Lakers or any other team depends on whether all these factors can swing and land in the same basket. Physically, James has already claimed his battle over ‘Father Time’. Continuing to play with everything achieved? That’s an obsession that doesn’t go away with practical reasoning. If LeBron wants to play, and his family isn’t against it, there will be another chapter to chase the elusive Larry O’Brien.

The same questions will erupt again. However, only James will know when preparing to compete becomes monotonous. Till he reaches that stage, retirement seems to be stalking him, but not daring enough to push him over the edge.