Lakers officially update LeBron James' injury status! Award eligibility this season unlikely: historic records may come to an end

On November 7th Beijing time, Lakers fans are eager to know when LeBron James will make his season debut. During the preseason, James has been troubled by sciatica pain and was listed as inactive at the start of the 2025-26 season, missing the team's first 9 games.

The good news for the Lakers is that despite injuries affecting Doncic and Reeves to some extent, the team has still managed a 7-2 record, ranking just behind the Thunder in the Western Conference. However, the bad news is that James’ sciatica has not healed, and the latest injury update indicates he will miss more games.

The Lakers officially announced today that James, originally targeting a mid-November return, has been cleared to participate in contact basketball drills and will be reassessed within the next one to two weeks. The Lakers will start a five-game road trip on Sunday, but James will stay in Los Angeles to begin five-on-five training, which may include intra-squad scrimmages with the South Bay Lakers of the G League.

Missing this five-game road trip means James could return no earlier than the home game against the Jazz on November 19th, which would be the team’s 15th game of the season.

Why is this situation critical? James has already missed 9 games, and if he misses the entire five-game road trip, his total missed games this season will reach 14.

To be eligible for end-of-season awards and honors, a player must participate in at least 65 regular-season games and meet specific playing time requirements.If he returns against the Jazz on November 19th, he can only afford to miss up to 3 more games in the remainder of the 2025-26 season to maintain eligibility for All-NBA team selection.

Since the 2004-05 season (his second professional year), James has been named to an All-NBA team (First, Second, or Third) every year. His streak of 21 consecutive years making an All-NBA team is one of the most difficult records to break in NBA history, but this record now faces a serious threat, as it seems unlikely he will continue it this season.

Only 12 players in NBA history have had careers lasting 20 years or more, and among them, the closest to James in All-NBA selections is Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was selected 15 times in his career.

Among active players, the ones closest to James in All-NBA selections are Curry, Durant, and Paul, each with 11 selections.

If James’ consecutive All-NBA selection streak ends (which currently seems very likely), it will serve as a reminder that the NBA’s all-time leading scorer’s career is nearing its conclusion. James will turn 41 in December, and at this stage of his career, his main focus is pursuing his fifth NBA championship.

Currently, the Lakers are near the top of the standings, and once he recovers, James is expected to contend for this ultimate goal in the 2025-26 season.