LeBron James Out with Sciatica: When Will He Return to the Court?
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will miss an additional three to four weeks due to sciatica issues on his right side, the team announced this Thursday. James, who has yet to participate in training camp, is in the recovery process. The 40-year-old player missed the Lakers’ first two preseason games and has yet to participate in a full practice due to what coach JJ Redick described as nerve irritation in the glute. Sciatica refers to the symptoms of irritation, inflammation, or compression of the sciatic nerve. This nerve originates in the lumbar (lower) spine and travels through the gluteal muscles and hamstrings before branching into other smaller nerves in the lower leg and foot. Symptoms can range from sharp or burning pain to numbness and tingling.If James remains out for the full three or four weeks, he would miss the Lakers’ season opener against the Golden State Warriors on October 21. James is about to start his 23rd season, breaking the tie with Vince Carter for the longest career in NBA history. Since James joined the Lakers in 2018-19, Los Angeles has a record of 248-171 (.591) with him on the court. When he doesn’t play, the Lakers have a record of 56-78 (.418).When asked on Thursday about James’ progress with the injury, before the Lakers revealed the sciatica diagnosis, Redick said James was “on his own timeline”.
JJ Redick
