LeBron James Says He's Not Retiring From NBA at ESPY Awards

LeBron James made a HUGE announcement at the ESPY Awards Wednesday night ... telling the world he's staying put in the NBA.

The L.A. Lakers superstar strolled onto the stage to accept the ESPY for Best Record-Breaking Performance after surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar this year to become the league's all-time leading scorer.

During his acceptance speech, 'Bron revealed he ain't going anywhere after 20 seasons, amid talk of his retirement from the Association ... talk fueled by LeBron himself.

At the podium, 'Bron said, "I don’t care how many more points I score, or what I can or cannot do on the floor. The real question for me is: Can I play without cheating this game?"

He continued, "The day I can’t give everything on the floor is the day I’ll be done. Lucky for you guys, that day is not today."

As we reported, 'Bron floated the idea he might call it quits on his storied career back in May after the Lakers were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

At the time, 'Bron told reporters, "I've got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me, going forward with the game of basketball."