Greatness often requires sacrifices, whether it’s letting go of guilty pleasures or not. This is true for LeBron James.
In the most recent episode of James’ “Mind the Game” podcast featuring Steve Nash, the Lakers star discussed his decision to cut out two of his favorite indulgences—wine and chocolate chip cookies—to maintain his health.
“I wasn’t playing—I missed the first 14 games of the season, skipped November, and missed all of training camp. I thought, ‘I need to remove something. I have to make a sacrifice,'” the 41-year-old shared.
James did not play until November 18 against the Utah Jazz, where he scored 11 points and provided 12 assists. He committed to completely avoiding desserts and alcohol for all of November.
After November, he decided to extend this fast into December, not indulging in alcohol or desserts until New Year’s Day.
yet, for Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark, giving up cookies seems excessive.
“I’d rather retire than do this. This shows why he’s successful,” Clark commented on ESPN’s Instagram post regarding James’ podcast remarks.
As the longest-active player in NBA history with 23 seasons under his belt, James remains uncertain about whether he will carry on with his career next season.
“Yeah, I want to live,” he stated before his 22nd NBA All-Star Game. “…I just want to live, that’s all.”
Currently, James is averaging 22 points, shooting 50.2% from the field, alongside 5.8 rebounds and 7.1 assists in the 2025-26 regular season.
