LeBron James has not yet played in the opening game of his historic 23rd NBA season. The 40-year-old star is recovering from a persistent sciatica injury that appeared last month and missed the recent game against the San Antonio Spurs.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick commented on James' condition:
“Obviously, this thing has to continue to progress with all of his return-to-play protocols. So we don't have, like, a target date. It's just somewhere in that general timeline. We hope that he's kind of checked all the boxes and is going to be back sometime in that second or third week in November.”
LeBron is expected to remain sidelined for a few more weeks, particularly missing upcoming games against the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans, and Milwaukee Bucks.
It seems likely James will make his return on November 18 against the Utah Jazz at home. This comeback will mark a historic milestone as he becomes the first NBA player to compete in 23 seasons.
Reports indicate that LeBron has been committed to solo workouts and is preparing for the next step of his recovery: participating in full-contact scrimmages.
LeBron James aims to return after completing thorough rehabilitation and passing all necessary protocols.
Summary: LeBron James continues to recover from a sciatica injury, targeting a November 18 return, potentially making history as the first player to compete in 23 NBA seasons.