LeBron James’ ‘Biggest Issue’ Before Lakers Season Debut Revealed
Veteran forward LeBron James has not played competitive basketball since April 30, 2025, when his Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The 40-year-old returned to basketball activities only in the past week or so, first training with the G League’s South Bay Lakers and then with his Lakers teammates. As such, he’s still re-acclimating to the physical rigours of a sport he has played all his life.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the “biggest issue” James is facing is getting his conditioning up to speed, which requires him to get his lungs back in top shape.
“The biggest issue right now that [LeBron James] shared with us is that he feels like he has newborn baby lungs and, he needs to get back to grown man lungs,” the Lakers beat writer told ESPN’s “
“The biggest issue right now that [LeBron James] shared with us is that he feels like he has newborn baby lungs and, he needs to get back to grown man lungs.”
—@mcten on Lakers forward LeBron James returning from injury
LeBron James Working Through Issues
The four-time NBA champion addressed the media and detailed the challenges he is facing since returning to the basketball court.
“My lungs feel like a newborn baby … I got to get my lungs back up to a grown man,” he said, while noting that he could make his season debut against the
“My lungs feel like a newborn baby … I got to get my lungs back up to a grown man.” LeBron James on the process of getting back into game shape. He said he would have to see how his body responds to today before deciding to play tomorrow or not.
LeBron James Missed Teammates
James, out for the first month of an NBA season for the first time in his 23-year career, admittedly misses not just playing basketball but the camaraderie of a locker room.
“I missed these guys,” he said, via McMenamin.
“Just seeing them go out there and working. I love the work, I love the process of working. I don’t miss the travel. I’m about to be 41 years old. I was happy to be at home on my couch after working out.”
The one thing James has not missed is the nonstop traveling that comes with an 82-game regular-season slate.
“I don’t miss the travel. I’m about to be 41 years old. I was happy sitting at home on my couch after working out,” James joked while addressing reporters on Monday.
“I don’t miss the travel, but I do miss the competition.”
James will join a red-hot Lakers team that owns a 10-4 record despite dealing with a plethora of injuries. The 40-year-old will officially become the first player in NBA history to play a 23rd season when he suits up for the Lakers this week.
Steve Kerr Highlights Stephen Curry And Michael Jordan’s Similarities After Warriors Star’s Landmark Game
When you’re being compared to arguably the best player in NBA history, you’re already on the path to greatness and immortality.
Sitting down for the radio show, Willard and Dibs, Kerr
“Well, you know, the first comparisons come when we’re pulling into the arena, last night, and there’s a line of people getting ready to go through the gates, and most of them have Steph Curry jerseys on. That’s what I remember about Chicago. Everyone on the road had a Jordan jersey on,”
Curry is being celebrated yet again because of his back-to-back exceptional performances against the San Antonio Spurs. The ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’ had consecutive 45+ point games.
In the first matchup against the Spurs, he scored 46 points, shooting 52% from the field and 32% from the three-point line.
In the second game, he upped it by scoring 49 points, shooting 61.5% from the field, and 52.9% from the three-point line, making nine three-pointers in the game. If it weren’t for Curry’s magic, the
“These two guys transcend the sport; they transcend home team, road team. People just wanna root for these guys, whether it is Jordan or Steph. It’s just an incredible aura about them, no matter what arena you’re in, they are the center of attention,”
Curry has joined Jordan as only the second player in NBA history, 37 years of age or older, to score 45+ points in back-to-back games. He’s also tied the former Bulls superstar for the most 40+ games after turning 30, at 44 games each.
In the two games against the Spurs, Curry showed off his absurdly superior scoring skills. The young Spurs team was playing aggressively, led by their star Victor Wembanyama. But all of their strengths and advantages were neutralized by Curry’s masterful shooting and scoring.
“Both guys really love that. They love the challenge. They love the game. They never want to disappoint anybody. They were both well aware that a lot of people were coming to see them for the only time in their lives… They want to put on a show,”
“Each of them has been a phenomenon in the league at different times. Fun to see how it changes over the years and how the game has changed. But it’s still these individuals who can just carry so much weight for the league,”
Curry has entered his 17th season, but he’s not showing any signs of slowing down. Michael Jordan played 434 regular-season games after turning 30 years of age, while Curry has played 357 till now, and already he’s tied Jordan in multiple categories. The pace and prowess with which Curry is still playing, and the way older athletes have been able to navigate health in the last few years, suggest that he easily has a few good seasons left in him.
And even in retirement, he wants to walk the path that Jordan paved. But till then, Curry is showing his fans and his teammates that they can trust him, he’s still got it, and only continues to get better by adding the value of experience to his insane abilities and work ethic.
He’s got it covered for the Warriors. The other parts around him are still figuring themselves out, and their head coach is leading that charge from the front, but Curry needs no figuring out. He’s played an elevated game since the early days in his career, and he’s still showing up with the same energy.
