Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James made his season debut in Tuesday night’s win over the Utah Jazz, becoming the first player in NBA history to play in 23 seasons.
James missed the first 14 games of the season due to a sciatica issue on his right side, but he took his time to get back to 100% and looked good in his first action of the year.
After the win, LeBron discussed how he felt physically on the court.
“Wind was a little shaky to begin,” James said. “Obviously, that was expected. As the game went on and on, my wind got a lot better, caught my second wind and caught my third wind. [My] rhythm is still coming back, obviously first game in quite a while almost seven months, so everything that happened tonight was unexpected. I think the pace versus a team like Utah, who play with a lot of pace, a lot of movement, a lot of cutting and things of that nature, tested us and tested me, obviously. I was happy the way I was able to keep up with the guys.”
James emphasized that getting into game shape is still a hurdle he needs to cross but expects to get closer and closer each game.
“My wind. My wind is important, obviously,” he added. “I mean, I don’t have to worry about chemistry-wise. We’re just a great group. Everybody enjoys being around each other, playing for one another, sacrificing for one another. So, get my wind, get my rhythm back.
“I missed a couple of chippies tonight that I’m used to making, but that will come with more games and more fun.”
James played 30 minutes against the Jazz and finished with a modest 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting to go along with three rebounds and 12 assists. The good news for him is that the Lakers don’t play again until Sunday, so the 40-year-old discussed his plan for recovery this week.
“Tomorrow’s our day off, so I’ll do a lot of rehab in the morning to keep going and a lot of recovery and things of that nature,” James said.
“Thursday’s practice, Friday’s practice, Saturday’s prior practice before we get on the flight. We will do what we need to do to keep it going and not overdo it. Obviously, we don’t want to overdo it right now, but we want to keep it going and see what happens. This doesn’t happen much when you get three or four days in between games, so we’ll take what matters. It was opening nights of sorts for you this year.”
LeBron James enjoyed being back on court with Lakers teammates
LeBron James revealed that this is the first time he’s been hurt to begin the season, which was a challenge for him. He got past it though and enjoyed being back on the floor with his Lakers teammates.
“It was just fun to be out there with the guys,” he said. “Like I said, it’s been rough mentally for me. This is the first time I’ve started a basketball season and not played since I’ve started playing basketball at like nine years old. I’ve never missed the beginning of the basketball season. Just going through that physically, emotionally, spiritually and everything just testing me.
“Keeping my head down with the work and keeping my head up with faith, it’s gotten me to this point today. It’s just great. A lot of joy. You will probably see me smiling and talking a lot on the court today. Just being out with those guys is so fun.”
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
