Every year, it’s an honor to be selected to play on Christmas Day in the NBA. In fact, the event started in 1947 when the New York Knicks played the Providence Steamrollers.
The annual tradition has only been interrupted once. That was the league lockout in 1998. In 2025-26, the NBA has five Christmas Day matchups for fans to watch. LeBron James and the Lakers will host the Rockets at 8:00 p.m. EST. Recently, James had a revealing quote. The 40-year-old said he’d “much rather be at home with my family” than play on Christmas Day.
LeBron James continues to show signs that his career is near its end
LeBron James on playing his NBA-record 20th Christmas Day game this week:
“I’d much rather be at home with my family. But I mean, it’s the game, it’s the game that I love. It’s a game I watched when I was a kid on Christmas Day, watching a lot of the greatest play the game on… pic.twitter.com/lo85glVwPk
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) December 22, 2025
Lakers’ LeBron James is playing in a record-setting 23rd professional season in the NBA. The longer James plays, the more records he continues to break. When the Lakers play on Christmas Day vs. the Rockets, it will be a record-setting 20th appearance. NBA fans enjoy watching James and other stars play on Christmas. However, it is a sacrifice for some players and their families.
For James, his Christmas schedule has been the same for nearly his entire career. Recently, LeBron spoke with reporters and gave his honest take about playing on Christmas Day. James started by saying he’d “much rather be at home with my family.” He then got nostalgic and said he remembers watching NBA games on Christmas as a kid. The veteran understands the importance of playing on Christmas, but admits he would rather be spending time with the ones he loves.
LeBron on playing in his NBA-record 20th Christmas Day game:
“It’s always been an honor to play it. Obviously, I’m gonna be completely honest, I would like to be home on the couch with my family all throughout the day. But our number is called, so we have to go out and perform… pic.twitter.com/PUAoFzAJrY
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 22, 2025
This is not the first quote or action that suggests James could be near the end. First off, James is in his 23rd professional season. For the first time in his career, he missed opening night. LeBron was dealing with sciatica on his right side. He’s played in 11 of the team’s 27 games in 2025-26. Additionally, James has mentioned his newfound passion for golf. A hobby often taken up by professional athletes when they retire. If the Lakers do not make a deep run in the playoffs, this could be a gigantic offseason for the future of LeBron James and his NBA career.
