The latest LeBron James injury signals have likely ended the historic streak

Los Angeles Lakers all fans want to know when LeBron James will debut in the season. After dealing with the problem of sciatica during the preseason, James was shut down at the start of the 2025-26 season, and missed each of the Lakers’ first nine games.

The good news for Los Angeles is that despite Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves missing games due to injury, the Lakers are 7-2 and right behind the Oklahoma City Thunder at the top of the Western Conference standings.

However, the bad news is that LeBron remains sidelined with a sciatic injury, and his latest injury update signals more missed games on the horizon.

James, who was with the goal of returning to court in mid-Novemberhas been officially cleared for contact basketball activities and will be reevaluated in one to two weeks, the team announced Thursday morning. As the team begins a five-game road trip Saturday, James will remain in Los Angeles and begin 5-on-5 action, which could include a scrimmage with the G League’s South Bay Lakers organization.

What this absence during the Lakers’ upcoming five-game road trip means is that the earliest James could return is Nov. 18 at home against the Utah Jazz, the team’s 15th game of the season.

Why is this significant? Well, LeBron has already missed nine games this season, and missing an entire five-game stretch puts him at 14 games this season.

To be eligible for end-of-season awards and recognition, a player must play in at least 65 games during the regular season while meeting certain criteria related to playing time in said games. If he were to return on Nov. 18 against the Jazz, LeBron would be allowed to miss three more games during the entire 2025-26 season to remain eligible for All-NBA honors.

Since his second year in the league, the 2004-05 season, James has been named to one of three All-NBA teams. His streak was 21 consecutive years of being named an All-NBA performer on the court serious dangerand it doesn’t look like the Lakers star will be able to continue his streak this year.

All in all, this is one of the most unbreakable records in NBA history. Only 12 players in league history have ever played 20 or more years in the NBA, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the next closest to LeBron with 15 All-NBA selections in his illustrious Hall of Fame career.

The next closest active players to LeBron in terms of All-NBA selections are Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul — all with 11 All-NBA selections.

If this streak ends for James, which seems highly likely at this point, it will be another reminder that the end is nigh for the league’s all-time leading scorer. LeBron will turn 41 in December, and at this stage in his career, all he cares about is competing for his fifth championship.

With the Lakers sitting near the top of the NBA standings, he will have a good shot at achieving his final goal in 2025-26 upon his return from injury.