NBA legend LeBron James met with Los Angeles Lakers reporters today and spoke about his recovery from sciatica and the Purple and Gold’s strong start to the season.
James could make his season debut soon for the Lakers, who have started the season 10-4.
“Everyone enjoys being around each other and love playing for one another,” James said. “Lot of guys sacrificing. So for me, just seeing ways I can just fit in organically. Right off the top, I know ways I can help this team right away when I am put back in the lineup.”
The leading scorer of all time, James is the oldest active player in the NBA. He turns 41 in December and has been in the league since 2003.
James played in 70 games for the Lakers last season. He averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks per game and finished sixth in MVP voting and made the All-NBA Second Team.
This is the second time James has dealt with sciatica. It’s an injury he doesn’t wish on anyone.
“You ever had it? Anybody ever had it? I’ve had it. I had it two years ago,” James said. “I had it two years ago. If you had it, then you know what the hell it’s about. If you ain’t never had it, people making jokes about it, I pray you never get it. It’s not fun.”
James joined LAL in 2018. He led the franchise to the 2020 championship against the Miami Heat at the Walt Disney World bubble.
In 419 games with the Lakers, James is averaging 26.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 8.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks per game.
A future Hall of Famer, James is a four-time MVP, a four-time champion and a four-time Finals MVP. He’s played for the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice), Heat and Lakers.
James, who grew up idolizing Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan, is the only player to rank top five all-time in points and assists, the only player to win three Finals MVPs with three teams, the only player with 40,000 points, 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 career assists and the only player to score 50,000 points combining the regular season and playoffs.
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