LeBron James Makes History in His Return with the Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James marked his return to action this season against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night, kicking off his 23rd season in the NBA, an unprecedented record in the league.
James, 40 years old, was out of the courts for the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica issues, a nerve condition that affected his lower back and the right side of his body.
With this game, James became the first player in NBA history to play for 23 seasons, surpassing the previous record he shared with Vince Carter.
James’ return to practice occurred on Monday, where he joined his Lakers teammates for his first 5-on-5 session since the team’s elimination in the first round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves in April.
His return came after a rehabilitation assignment with the G League’s South Bay Lakers last week, while the team was on a five-game road trip. During this time, James completed two consecutive days of practice without experiencing persistent pain or discomfort.
James, who is already the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, entered Tuesday’s game just 50 games away from Robert Parish of the Boston Celtics, the all-time leader in games played, and 508 assists away from Jason Kidd for third place on the all-time list.
In the game against the Jazz, James surpassed Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers, moving up to sixth place on the all-time three-pointers list.
