LeBron James is taking a break from the Los Angeles Lakers due to both on-court struggles and off-court controversy this season. The NBA star, who missed his first game of the season against the Portland Trail Blazers due to foot soreness, also missed training on Wednesday.
Head coach JJ Redick confirmed James’ extended absence, raising concerns about his condition and the team’s performance, as reported by Daily Mail.
“LeBron is not with the team right now,” Redick said after practice. “He’s out for personal reasons, excused absence.”
James is taking an indefinite break from the Los Angeles Lakers, with no set timeframe for his return, according to Redick.
This news coincides with MMA fighter Colby Covington’s public call-out of James, referencing a four-year-old Instagram live chat between James and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.
“Hey, everybody know, ain’t no party like a Diddy party,’ James told Combs in the clip, which went viral in September.
“What does LeBron mean by that? How many Diddy parties has he actually attended?” Covington asked at a press conference Wednesday.
Combs was arrested in Manhattan in September following an investigation into alleged sex trafficking. He faces over 100 sexual abuse allegations, with accusations of drugging and raping victims as young as nine.
Combs is also known for hosting extravagant parties called “freak-offs,” which allegedly turned into orgies lasting for days. Despite the severity of the allegations, Combs maintains his innocence, asserting that while the parties were sordid, they were consensual.
James has since not commented on the video and has not been linked to any of Combs’ alleged crimes.
He missed the Lakers’ game against the Portland Trail Blazers and has been confirmed to miss the upcoming game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
James, in his 22nd NBA season, is currently averaging 23 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.0 rebounds. As the Lakers navigate his performance during the season, Redick hinted of ongoing communication with James and his athletic trainer, Mike Mancias, to manage the veteran’s workload.
This is especially important as James approaches his 40th birthday at the end of the month. “In game, he’s asked for a sub a couple times because he’s gassed,” Redick said. “For us, we have to be cognizant as we play more and more games, just the cumulative effect of playing a lot of minutes and Sunday, being banged up with the foot thing, it felt like a good opportunity for him to get some rest.”
