LeBron James to Miss Start of NBA Season

Los Angeles Lakers’ prominent player, LeBron James, will be sidelined at the commencement of the 2025-26 NBA season due to sciatica, the team declared on Thursday. The 40-year-old athlete will undergo a reassessment in approximately three to four weeks and is anticipated to remain off the court until the close of October.

Prior to this setback, James had inked a new agreement with the Lakers in June and was poised to become the first NBA participant to engage in 23 seasons.

However, this nerve complication will postpone that achievement and prevent him from participating in his inaugural opening night.

James had previously been absent from preseason matches against the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns earlier in the month due to what the team described as “glute nerve discomfort.”

“James has been unable to participate in preseason exercises and is still undergoing care for the nerve issue,” the Lakers stated in an official release.

The NBA champion, four times over, and the league’s all-time top scorer is projected to be absent from all five of the team’s scheduled October games, including the season’s curtain-raiser against Golden State on October 21.

This situation is unprecedented for James, who has not previously missed the beginning of a regular season during his 22-year career.

He presently holds 1,562 career regular-season appearances, just 50 games away from surpassing Celtics icon Robert Parish’s all-time record.

Last season, James recorded averages of 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game, ultimately securing sixth place in the MVP voting.

The Lakers will now commence their campaign without their experienced leader, aiming to sustain momentum in the highly competitive Western Conference until he is able to return.