LeBron James certainly didn't look like he'd been off the court for nearly seven months when he began his unprecedented 23rd NBA season Tuesday night — even if his burning lungs told him otherwise.
Reaching another milestone in officially the longest career in league history, James was no surprise when he returned from a lengthy injury absence and fit seamlessly into a growing team. Los Angeles Lakers in another victory.
James had 11 points, 12 assists and three rebounds as a starter and played 29 minutes in the Lakers' 140-126 win over the Utah Jazz, starting his new season with an impressive performance.
“The pace tested me, but I was happy with how I handled the guys,” James said. “My wind got a lot better as the game went on. Caught a second wind, caught a third. Obviously the rhythm is still coming back. First game in almost seven months, so everything that happened tonight was expected.”
That's because there's little that surprises James at this point in his basketball odyssey – not even the work required to overcome injuries.
The 40-year-old has been sidelined since the start of training camp with sciatica, keeping him out of the Lakers' preseason and the Lakers' first 14 regular-season games. James, who has never missed the first game of a season since he began playing organized basketball three decades ago, took part in his first Lakers practice of the new season on Monday.
James realized some were wondering whether his return would hurt the Lakers, who are off to a 10-4 start without him. Quadruple NBA The champion could only laugh.
“I can get along with anyone,” James said. “I don't even understand why that was even a question. What's wrong with these people here? I can fit right in with anyone. Just watching the guys in the first 14 games, I put myself out there [mentally] position while I was watching the games, how I can help the team and how I can be successful to help these guys. I can still get a lot of attention when I dribble or have the ball.”
About 30 minutes before tipoff, the team confirmed that James would make his 1,561st start in his 1,563rd regular-season game. He received a loud ovation when he was announced as the Lakers' first starter.
James didn't score in the first 11 minutes of the game, but soon found his rhythm. After hitting a pair of 3-pointers in the second quarter, he had eight assists in the second half, including six in just over three minutes early in the fourth quarter.
“He played with the right attitude,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of James. “Very unselfish all night. Was a willing passer. Didn't force it. Took hits and hits when they were there. Defenses will look at him and I just think he made a lot of good decisions tonight. Really great to have him back.”
James said Monday that his body isn't in perfect playing shape, but he was eager to get started on his latest achievement. Redick was also impressed with James' physicality, saying he could have played more minutes if the Lakers hadn't already fled Utah.
“For a lot of us who played with him, or for some of the guys who grew up watching him, LeBron is a superhero,” said Redick, who played 15 seasons in the NBA. “What he was able to do in that game, there are a few guys who were able to do that.”
James is the first player to ever play in 23 NBA seasons. Vince Carter played 22 seasons in a career that ended in 2020, and five players played 21 seasons: Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and 40-year-old Chris Paul, who currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers. Philadelphia guard Kyle Lowry is in his 20th season.
With this debut, James is now just 48 games behind Parish's NBA record for most regular-season games played (1,611). James already holds another NBA record: He has played in 1,855 regular-season and playoff games combined (58 more than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), as well as the record for most minutes played.
James has said multiple times that he's not sure if this will be his last season, but he also hasn't decided whether he'll play another year. His last offseason was filled with injuries: He spent two months recovering from a sprained knee during the Lakers' first-round playoff loss to Minnesota, followed by a painful bout of sciatica, pain in the nerves that run from the buttocks and down the backs of the legs.
James is a four-time NBA Finals MVP, as well as four league MVP awards and 21 All-Star selections. His career began with the Cleveland Cavaliers in October 2003, a year before the birth of his eldest son and current Lakers teammate Bronny.
Los Angeles' next game isn't until Sunday, also against the Jazz in Salt Lake City. The Lakers will hold at least two practices before then, allowing James to continue to build his chemistry and his role.
“I don’t have to worry about chemistry,” James said. “It's a great group. Everyone loves being around each other, sacrificing for each other, playing for each other. [I have to] get my wind, get my rhythm back. Missed a couple of the chips tonight that I'm used to making. But it will pass.”
