Throughout his two-decade-plus-long career, LeBron James has been fortunate enough to avoid any major injuries. However, that all changed during the LA Lakers’ Game 5 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Days after the Lakers were eliminated from the postseason, it was revealed that LeBron suffered an MCL sprain that will keep him sidelined for roughly a month. He 21-time All-Star has dealt with various ailments in his career, but this is his first time coming back from a knee injury.
On Thursday morning, LeBron James spoke about his injury against the Timberwolves for the first time. While on his Mind the Game podcast, the Lakers star touched on what things have been like for him the last few days.
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“This is the first time I’ve ever had a sustained knee injury where I had to like okay you got to get off your feet,” LeBron said. “You got to kind of be shelved for a minute.” (11:50)
“I knew right then and there it was a paid I hadn’t felt before.”
Even if the Lakers manages to keep their season alive in Game 5, they would have been shorthanded the rest of the way. With the recovery timeline set between three and five weeks, LeBron James wouldn’t have been able to suit up again.
Kevin McCormick is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in journalism and a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management Marketing from Holy Family University.
Kevin has worked with various notable outlets throughout his career, including 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, Heavy Sports, and Sports Illustrated/FanNation, before joining Sportskeeda in March 2022.
Specializing in NBA and WNBA coverage, Kevin’s passion for basketball stems from his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Among his favorite players are Kevin Durant, Chet Holmgren, and Steph Curry, while his all-time favorites include Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
Kevin holds Coach K in high regard for the large input he’s had on the game helping mold players across multiple generations. Kevin believes the iconic rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson helped elevate the league to its current status.
Through his writing, Kevin provides in-depth analysis and insights into player and coach quotes. He prioritizes sourcing information from credible and reliable outlets.
Kevin enjoys reading, aiming to finish at least one book per month, and he is a big fan of music.
