LeBron James’ Shocking Injury: Lakers Face Season Opener Without Their Star – What This Means for NBA Title Hopes

LeBron James won’t be kicking off the 2025-26 NBA season alongside his Lakers teammates — at least, not right away. The basketball titan is sidelined with sciatica on his right side, a setback that’s expected to bench him for 3 to 4 weeks. For a player of his caliber and longevity, missing opening night is unprecedented and, honestly, a bit of a gut-punch for fans eager to see him in action. But here’s the kicker: it’s not about those first few games. At this stage in his career, the real game is managing health and longevity, ensuring LeBron is at peak form when it counts the most—deep in the playoffs. So, while there’s a tinge of disappointment watching the season start without him, the bigger picture is clear: the Lakers and LeBron himself have to be smart about the long haul. We’re holding out hope for a strong return just in time to light up the postseason. LEARN MORE

Yahoo Sports Daily host Jason Fitz reacts to the news that LeBron James will miss 3-4 weeks with sciatica and miss the Los Angeles Lakers’ season opener. Watch the full episode of Yahoo Sports Daily on YouTube or YahooSports.TV.

Video Transcript

LeBron James will not be part of opening day festivities.

He is sidelined for at least 3 to 4 weeks due to, uh, sciatica I should say on his right side.

He’s out for the start of the 25, 26 season.

Now, of course, when you talk about playing in an advanced stage, it’s easy to look at these things and say, ah, he’s missing time.

It’s gonna be one of those years.

I don’t know.

I do know that this is the first time in his career he won’t be out for an opening day.

He won’t be on the court for the opening day.

And, and that for all of us just feels like a little bit of a letdown.

But let’s also remember how we judge LeBron James.

If LeBron James comes out in the opening game and throws down 40 points and the Lakers look great, it will not matter if he’s not healthy at the end of the year.

The only thing that matters for LeBron, the only thing that matters for the Lakers is how healthy can they keep him at the end of the season.

And I think it’s OK. Admit that at his age, managing his health is going to be part of what you have to do if you run the Lakers organization.

So there’s no shock to me that they’re going to be cautious.

There’s no chaos to me because he’s gonna miss 3 to 4 weeks.

Maybe it just means his golf game took a lot of him this summer.

Maybe it just means that he’s got a little nerve thing.

One thing I can tell you as you get older, your body definitely doesn’t cooperate the same way.

I don’t care if you’re an athlete or not.

At some point your body catches up.

The question is going to be for all of us, is this just 3 to 4 weeks and then everything’s sunshine and roses from there, or is this something greater?

That is what we will keep our eye on.

But as long as we get LeBron in February, March, April, as long as we have LeBron in June playing in the playoffs, none of us will worry about the 1st 3 to 4 weeks of the NBA season.

It’s just a letdown for the magic we all love of opening night.