#lebron-james

#lebron-james

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was ruled out of Sunday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans because of left foot injury management. James, 40, missed the first 14 games of the season with sciatica -- a nerve issue affecting his lower back and down the right side of his body. The four-time NBA MVP also missed games last season because of his left foot. Sunday is the first leg of a back-to-back for the Lakers, with a home game against the Phoenix Suns to follow Monday.

"It was pretty crazy, man. Like, I mean, that's the GOAT. To be able to share the court with him was special, especially being a G League team. That's so outside the normal of everything," Timme told ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "I think it just shows how connected the two programs are, and it's super cool. He came down, and it was our job to help him get back to game speed, so we were just glad to help."

James, standing on the right side of the court by the Crypto.com Arena logo, passed the ball to Luka Doncic, who was positioned on the perimeter to his left. Once James released the ball, Austin Reaves sprung up from the paint to the 3-point line to set a back screen on Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, who was guarding the Lakers star. The action freed James to advance toward the basket

A source present for Wednesday's practice told ESPN the workout was "intense" as James prepares to become the first player in NBA history to suit up for a 23rd season. In Thursday's practice, run by South Bay coach Zach Guthrie, James was a full participant once again, sources said, and was able to complete the five-on-five live portion without any lingering pain or soreness in his lower back or right side.

LeBron James' 23rd NBA season is off to a precarious start as he will miss a regular-season opener for the first time because of a sciatic nerve injury. The soon-to-be 41-year-old still commands the attention of the league, but how much of that focus will be about his on-court exploits this season instead of retirement chatter? James was already nursing a knee injury in the playoffs last season.

EXACTLY ONE HOUR before the tipoff of the gold medal game last summer in Paris, when Olympic rules dictated players could come onto the court for warmups, an unlikely duo was the first to hit the floor. Erik Spoelstra and LeBron James, all business, worked through their pregame routine, Team USA's assistant coach putting the player through the paces. It was a common sight all summer, Spoelstra and James working together individually,

"basketball is not only a sport, but also a bridge that connects us."

No one has ever called LeBron James underrated. But the NBA star wasn't always on top, particularly outside of basketball. He's been questioned and critiqued for his pursuits in philanthropy, education, business, and entertainment. That's part of why he founded the media brand Uninterrupted, with the tagline "More Than an Athlete," answering critics who told him to shut up and dribble whenever his opinions ventured beyond the court.