The Los Angeles Lakers have been handed a major boost ahead of their game against the Utah Jazz – with LeBron James set to make his long-awaited comeback.
‘King’ James has been sidelined for the Lakers’ opening 14 games of the season after developing sciatica but is set to return for the clash at the Crypto.com Arena.
James has been training with their G League affiliate in South Bay, in a bid to build up his fitness, and is now reportedly ready to embark on his 23rd NBA season.
In doing so, James will set a new NBA record for most seasons played. He’s currently the joint-record holder with Vince Carter, who spent 22 seasons in the league.
In James’ absence, the Lakers have been lead by Luka Doncic – who leads the league with 34.4 points-per-game – and rising stars Austin Reaves and Jake LaRavia.
Meanwhile, Reaves has developed into one of the Lakers’ most reliable players this season and ranks ninth in the NBA for points-per-game with 28.3.
LeBron James is set to make his long-awaited comeback for the LA Lakers on Tuesday night
James has missed the Lakers’ opening 14 games of the NBA season after developing sciatica
He’s also averaging 8.2 assists-per-game, which sits him in sixth in NBA rankings.
Adding James back into the mix will only benefit the Lakers – who are currently 10-4 this season – and cement their position as contenders in the Western Conference.
During the 2024-25 season, James played 70 games for the Lakers, averaging 24.4 points-per-game, 8.2 assists-per-game and 7.8 rebounds-per-game.
NBA chiefs will likely be glad to see one of, if not the, biggest stars in the league returning to action, amid an ongoing injury crisis affecting franchise stars.
On Monday, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was ruled out for a few weeks with a calf strain, bringing an end to his blistering start to the season.
Similarly, the Memphis Grizzlies confirmed that star guard Ja Morant would also be sidelined with a calf strain. On the same night, Giannis Antetokounmpo was forced to leave the court early, with a groin injury, during the Bucks game against the Cavaliers.
Meanwhile, Celtics star Jayson Tatum and Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton are both out having suffered respective ruptures of their Achilles tendons.
While James is preparing to return to the court, the same cannot be said for his son Bryce, who may not play a single minute of college basketball this season.
The likes of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have stepped up for the Lakers in James’ absence
James will set an NBA record for most seasons played when he returns on Tuesday night
James, 18, committed to a stacked Arizona squad earlier this year as a three-star recruit out of Sierra Canyon High School. He’s yet to play in the Wildcats’ first three games against Florida, Utah Tech and Northern Arizona.
And, after a recent victory, head coach Tommy Lloyd explained that he didn’t give James playing time because redshirting was ‘on the table’ for him.
‘No final decisions have been made,’ Lloyd told reporters. ‘It’s tough. It puts you in a tough situation. You play Bryce in a game like this [versus Northern Arizona] for three minutes, it burns a year of eligibility.
‘I wish it was easier. I wish there was a set number of games you could play a guy like they have in football. I think that would make sense for some of these kids, but we don’t.’