LeBron James will likely miss the start of the 2025-26 NBA season as the Los Angeles Lakers announced on Thursday that their star player has suffered sciatica on his right side and will be sidelined for three to four weeks as a result, ESPN reported.
James, who is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, has so far not been involved in training camp or full practice. The Lakers also played their first two preseason games without him, with coach JJ Redick stating that James has suffered a nerve irritation in his glute.
Per Mayo Clinic, sciatica “refers to pain that travels along the path of the sciatic nerve.” “The sciatic nerve travels from the buttocks and down each leg,” it adds.
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The hospital also states that sciatica usually occurs when a “herniated disk or an overgrowth of bone puts pressure on the lumbar spine nerve roots.” It further explains that it “happens ‘upstream’ from the sciatic nerve,” and “this causes inflammation, pain and often some numbness in the affected leg.”
“Although the pain associated with sciatica can be serious, those cases that are caused by a herniated disk can clear up with treatment in a few weeks to months.”
Prior to Thursday’s announcement by the Lakers, Redick was asked about the state of James’ injury, and he said the four-time NBA champion was “on his own timeline.”
The Lakers’ first regular-season game is going to be against the Golden State Warriors on October 21, and James would be unavailable if he is sidelined for the three-to-four-week period, ESPN reported.
ESPN reporter Shams Charania also initially stated that though James could be unavailable during the preseason, he has set his sights on being fit for the Lakers’ first regular-season game.
This is going to be James’ 23rd NBA season, and he is set to once again write his name in the history books as he’s going to hold the record for the longest NBA career. That record was previously held by Vince Carter.
