Achieving eminence often demands personal renunciations, even if it simply means foregoing cherished indulgences. This reality is particularly pertinent for LeBron James.
During the most recent installment of James’ “Mind the Game” podcast, featuring Steve Nash, the Los Angeles Lakers luminary disclosed his decision to eliminate two of his most cherished indulgences – wine and chocolate chip cookies – for the sake of his physical well-being.
The 41-year-old athlete explained, stating, “I wasn’t playing — I missed the first 14 games of the season — I wasn’t playing in November, missed all of training camp and everything, so I was like, ‘Alright, I got to take something out. I have to sacrifice something.'”
For the entirety of November, James committed to completely refraining from desserts and alcohol, a period during which he commenced his season only on the 18th against the Utah Jazz, where he tallied 11 points and distributed 12 assists.
He disclosed that following November’s conclusion, he chose to prolong his period of abstinence throughout December, only ending his alcohol and dessert fast on New Year’s Day.
To Indiana Fever standout Caitlin Clark, forsaking cookies could be considered an excessive measure.
Clark remarked, referencing James’ podcast statements on ESPN’s Instagram post, “I’d rather retire than do this. This is why he’s him.”
James, who holds the record as the most enduring active participant in NBA history with 23 seasons, expressed continued uncertainty regarding whether he will prolong his professional tenure into the next season.
Prior to his 22nd NBA All-Star Game, he stated, “Yeah, I mean I want to live. … I just want to live, that’s all.”
For the 2025-26 regular season, James is posting an average of 22 points, achieving a 50.2% success rate from the field, alongside 5.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists.