LeBron James Set to Practice with G League Affiliate as He Prepares for Season Return

LeBron James is gearing up for his 23rd NBA season by joining full-practice sessions with the South Bay Lakers, the G League affiliate of the Los Angeles Lakers, sources confirm.

The 40-year-old forward had missed the Lakers’ first 11 games while managing a sciatica issue on his right side. The club announced on November 6 that he had been medically cleared to resume basketball activity.

According to the report, James was officially assigned to South Bay on Wednesday to participate in his first full practice of the season, including 5-on-5 drills.

James arrives with a remarkable career résumé: he is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with 42,184 points and second on the all-games-played list at 1,562. Last season, he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game.

JJ Redick, the Lakers’ head coach, has previously indicated that the G League assignment is part of James’ ramp-up plan. The move allows James to ease back into full game shape in a lower-stakes environment before rejoining the main roster.