Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick said LeBron James showed no ill effects after his 2025-26 season debut, noting the forward participated fully in Thursday’s practice.
“He was able to participate fully in practice today,” Redick told reporters. “I’m sure there was a little bit of soreness yesterday, but, yeah. All good.”
James returned to game action earlier in the week, helping the Lakers erase a deficit and defeat the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena. The 40-year-old recorded 11 points and 12 assists, opting to facilitate while Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves carried most of the scoring load.
The four-time MVP had missed the first 14 contests of the season. Over the same span, Los Angeles dealt with additional injuries to veterans Gabe Vincent, Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura, while Doncic and Reaves also sat out multiple games. Despite the revolving lineup, the Lakers managed to stay above .500.
With several days before facing Utah again, James will have extra time to build conditioning and rhythm. Redick’s update marked the third full practice for James in recent weeks without any reported setbacks, a positive development for a roster aiming to stabilize its rotation.
Following the victory over the Jazz, James said he was still regaining his wind but questioned speculation about his fit alongside the reshaped roster, noting he felt comfortable during his first game back.
Source: LakersNation.com
