TITLE: LeBron James Opens Up About Injuries, Records and Life After Basketball in Season-Long ESPN Interviews
SLUG: lebron-james-season-long-espn-interviews
CONTENT:
LOS ANGELES — During his 23rd NBA campaign, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James sat down with ESPN for a running series of one-on-one interviews conducted from November 2025 to April 2026 in eight NBA cities. The conversations covered his first significant training-camp absence, career milestones, rivalries, family goals and post-retirement plans.
Season delayed by sciatica
James, 41, missed training camp and the first 14 games of the 2025-26 schedule with lower-back sciatica, making his season debut on Nov. 18 in Salt Lake City. “Never in my life … have I ever not started the season,” he said one day earlier. The injury followed his decision in June to exercise a US$52.6 million player option, leaving him on an expiring deal for the first time since joining the Lakers in 2018.
End of the 10-point streak
On Dec. 1, after extending his record of consecutive 10-point games to 1,297, James recalled the 2021 high-ankle sprain against Atlanta that first threatened the mark. Three days later in Toronto he scored eight points, ending a streak that had lasted nearly 19 years. “All streaks are meant to end or meant to be broken,” he said beforehand.
On-court antagonists and technical fouls
In Phoenix on Dec. 14, the four-time MVP discussed matchups with players such as Dillon Brooks, Draymond Green and Lance Stephenson. James confirmed he was aware of Green’s technical-foul count during their 2016 Finals altercation but said the infamous Game 4 step-over “wasn’t disrespect — I was trying to get back into the play.”
Records that still impress
Celebrating his 41st birthday on Dec. 30, James cited Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s former scoring record, Oscar Robertson’s career triple-double total and John Stockton’s assist mark as benchmarks he once believed untouchable. He also reflected on reaching eight straight NBA Finals (2011-18), calling the feat unlikely to be duplicated.
Early Nike scrutiny and veteran mentors
In Portland on Jan. 17, James revisited the backlash over his seven-year, US$90 million Nike contract signed at age 18. He credited early support from Jason Kidd, Moses Malone, Ken Griffey Jr. and Gary Payton for easing the transition to the league.
Jordan comparisons remain “tiring”
Speaking in Chicago on Jan. 26, James said comparisons with Michael Jordan have become “barbershop talk” but insisted both players can be appreciated without “s——— on the other.” He praised Jordan’s mid-range game and will to win while describing himself as a “point-forward” whose first instinct is to pass.
Retirement priorities
At Madison Square Garden on Feb. 1, James stressed that post-basketball life will focus on wife Savannah, daughter Zhuri and “some grace” for himself. Although friends such as Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady have moved into broadcasting, James said he is charting his own path.
Name origins and Hollywood dinners
In San Francisco on Feb. 28, the four-time champion revealed his mother Gloria named him after his grandfather’s best friend, noting he had never heard “LeBron” elsewhere while growing up in Akron, Ohio. In Orlando on March 21 he recalled a Beverly Hills dinner with actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Pacino, calling the moment a reminder of “I’m from Akron — how am I in this room?”
Family assists and late-season adjustments
James and rookie son Bronny James shared meaningful minutes late in the season, exchanging assists in March victories over Brooklyn and Dallas. The veteran said the experience matched his hopes because “his progression” earned those opportunities.
Quirks, rituals and gear
The interviews also uncovered lesser-known habits: a travel-size paper-towel box wrapped in black tape to avoid facial abrasions; a favored long-sleeve black quarter-zip first worn in 2021; and an elaborate pregame sequence in which James underhand-tosses the basketball toward the rafters before teammates simulate soccer kicks and three-point shots.
The yearlong dialogue concluded April 5 in Dallas after injuries to teammates Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves halted the Lakers’ nine-game winning streak. Despite the setback, James promised to finish answering ESPN’s list of queries, underscoring a season that blended historic longevity with an eye toward the future — both his family’s and the franchise’s.
Source: ESPN.com
