With nine games already played by the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James has yet to make his highly anticipated NBA debutāa debut that will officially position him as the player with the most seasons played (23) in league history, breaking the tie he shares with Vince Carter. However, that moment appears to be drawing closer, according to recent reports.
NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN reported the latest update on Jamesā recovery from right sciatica. āLeBron James has been working out individually and Iām told the next step for him is 5-on-5 live play,ā he noted.
Charania also indicated that James will not travel with the team for their upcoming five-game road trip, which begins against the Hawks on Saturday, November 8th.
Regarding his recovery timeline and when his debut might finally occur, Charania reported that the Lakers personnel are optimistic about having James back in mid-November, as initially planned. However, the ESPN journalist did not rule out the possibility that his return could take slightly longer.
Remarkably, despite LeBron James being sidelined since the start of the season, the Lakers have managed a strong 7-2 record, sitting second in the conference standings behind the undefeated OKC Thunder.
Jamesā historic streak now under threat
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LeBron James currently holds the record for the most All-NBA Team appearances, having been selected 21 consecutive times since the 2004-05 season (his second year in the league).
However, that unprecedented streak could be in jeopardy this season. To qualify for end-of-season awards, a player must participate in a minimum of 65 regular season games, while also meeting certain conditions related to minutes played.
With James sidelined for the first nine contests due to sciatica and the confirmation that he will miss the following five games on the road, he will miss the first 14 games of the season. This means that if he makes his debut against the Utah Jazz on November 18th, he can afford to miss only three additional games for the remainder of the season to remain eligible for end-of-season awards.
At age 40, James faces the risk of seeing his 21-year streak end. However, his overall record of 21 All-NBA Team appearances still seems unbreakable, as the next closest active playersāStephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Chris Paulāall sit well behind with 11 appearances each.
