LeBron James has missed 14 games so far in the 2025-26 season. The reason behind his absence is an injury he sustained over the summer, days before the 2025 NBA preseason. Given the period of time he was sidelined, James opened up about the struggles he had to go through with his injury.
LeBron James Was in a Lot of Pain
Over the summer, James sustained a sciatic injury. Sciatica is one of the most painful injuries one can experience, given the areas of the body it affects. To further explain, sciatica is a type of pain that travels through the sciatic nerve. The affected areas range from the buttocks to each leg.
Understandably, it would be difficult for an affected individual to run around, let alone walk, on a daily basis. Having said that, James expressed his thoughts on the struggles of sciatica.
The Los Angeles Lakers star revealed that it wasn’t his first time dealing with the injury. Last year, during the offseason, James was also diagnosed with sciatica, but had enough time to return for the opening of the 2024-25 season.
Now, having gone through the same injury for a second time, James made sure to let everyone know how painful sciatica can be. While he didn’t specify precisely what he underwent during his injury, the Lakers star wished that no one else would go through the same thing he did.
“I had (sciatica) two years ago,” James revealed. “If you had it, then you know what the hell it’s about. If you ain’t never had it, and people are making jokes about it, I pray you never get it. It’s not fun.”
LeBron James says this is not the first time he’s dealt with sciatica. He also had it during the offseason two years ago. “If you ain’t never had it … I pray you never get it” pic.twitter.com/NtBOWUljnv
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 17, 2025
James is expected to make his 2025-26 season debut soon. There are three possible dates for his return. Either he plays this Tuesday against the Utah Jazz, on Sunday, also against the Jazz, or next Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Given that the Lakers are enjoying a 10-4 record, the return of James to the lineup comes as perfect timing, as he could help bolster their status in the Western Conference. However, there is a possibility that James could shake up the dynamic that the current Lakers lineup has established.
Fortunately for the Lakers, James is willing to adjust to anything the team asks him to do. Knowing that Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves have put Los Angeles on their back for the past 14 games, James doesn’t want to ruin the momentum that the other two stars have built.