Year 23 for No. 23 starts now.
Lakers star LeBron James will make his 2025 season debut in Tuesday night’s home game against the Jazz, according to Shams Charania.
James was rehabbing a sciatica nerve issue on his right side that saw him miss the first 14 games of the regular season. He will become the first ever player in NBA history to play in a 23rd season, extending his own record and breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Vince Carter, who also played 22 campaigns.
As part of his rehab, James spent some time with the South Bay Lakers in the G-League before participating in full in Monday's practice, a hopeful indication that he was nearing a return to the court.
“My lungs felt like a newborn baby. I gotta get my lungs back to a grown man and my voice is already gone,” James said after Monday's session. “It feels good, feels good to be out here with the guys.”
James, who will turn 41 in late December, will now look to make an immediate impact alongside star teammate Luka Dončić in Tuesday's home matchup against Utah, which tips off at 10:30 p.m. ET at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers have gone 10–4 in James's absence; last season, the four-time NBA champ averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds and earned his 21st straight All-Star nod.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as LeBron James Will Make NBA History in Season Debut vs. Jazz .
