LeBron James, ramping up to return, practices with G League squad

Field Level Media|published: Wed 12th November, 21:42 2025

Apr 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after missing a pass in the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

LeBron James took part in his first full practice of the season on Wednesday, working with the G League's South Bay Lakers.

The NBA's all-time leading scorer has missed the Los Angeles Lakers' first 11 games this season while dealing with sciatica on his right side.

"He was able to participate in the (G League) practice," Lakers coach JJ Redick said on Wednesday in Oklahoma City, where his team was set to oppose the Thunder. "Got up and down a little bit with just some, like, warm-up transition drills and progressed to 5-on-5 in the halfcourt, and got, I think about 12 to 15 possessions of live 5-on-5 contact."

Redick added, "It was also an incredible opportunity for Zach (Guthrie, the South Bay head coach) and his staff and all the guys that are with South Bay right now to have that experience.

"The reports are that (James) looked good."

The Lakers announced on Nov. 6 that the 40-year-old forward had been cleared to resume basketball activities as he moves closer to starting his NBA-record 23rd season.

James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game last season. A 21-time All-Star, four-time Most Valuable Player and four-time NBA champion, James has scored 42,184 points and ranks second all-time in games played (1,562) behind Robert Parish (1,611).

--Field Level Media

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