“They Burn Out”: LeBron James speaks out on the problems in youth sports

Los Angeles Lakers icon and NBA all-time leading scorer LeBron James has expressed concern over the current state of youth sports across various disciplines in the United States.

James shared his thoughts on the topic during a recent episode of his podcast Mind the Game, alongside teammate Luka Dončić and NBA legend Steve Nash.

Now 40, James said he is troubled by how modern youth sports programs may be contributing to early mental and physical burnout. As a father of three children who are all active in sports, he has firsthand insight into the pressure young athletes face. While he acknowledged the growing number of opportunities in college recruitment, he emphasized that such exposure often comes with unreasonable demands.

“I think a lot of kids, they burn the hell out. ‘I’m gonna just do this one all year round—just play basketball, or just volleyball, or just soccer.’ You burn out at 22, 23, 24 because you’ve just been doing it. Or younger. They just say, ‘To hell with it, I don’t even want to play no more.’ I don’t think we should cap these kids—they should be able to explore, man,” James said.

Notably, James was a multi-sport athlete in high school. In addition to dominating basketball, he was a standout wide receiver in football, and many believed he could have played professionally. Ultimately, he was selected first overall in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers straight out of high school.

LeBron speaking facts https://t.co/C6katX2mvN

— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) June 2, 2025

James explained how he and his wife have taken deliberate steps to prevent burnout in their own children.

“We’ve always made sure our kids, and my wife included, take a break. We tell them, ‘This is not an all-year-round thing for you.’ One, we don’t want you to burn out. And two, there needs to be time for family,” he said.

James’ sons, Bronny and Bryce, are both pursuing basketball careers. Bronny recently played one season at USC and was drafted by the Lakers, while Bryce has committed to playing college basketball at Arizona. His daughter, Zuri, is also involved in volleyball.

James also took issue with the motives of some youth trainers and coaches.

“A lot of these kids’ skills coaches and trainers—they actually want to be more famous than the kids. They think they’re more important than the athlete they’re training. Their motive isn’t pure. They want to be on camera. They want media attention. That’s not the objective,” James said.

While James’ concerns are valid, it’s worth noting that youth sports in the U.S. remain highly competitive and continue to serve as a key pathway for young athletes to reach the professional level.

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