"This is the first time he looks human"- JJ Redick speaks out on LeBron James' recent injury struggles for the LA Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers have continued to be the talk of the basketball world, as basketball fans anxiously await the return of superstar LeBron James. The 36-year-old forward has been sidelined with an abdominal strain and his return has remained up in the air. It was originally reported that LeBron was expected to miss at least one week of action, although it seems as if that timetable could be generous. Some have even said James could be out for up to a month, as the Lakers have yet to give an update on his status.
In the last three games that LeBron James has been out, the Lakers have gone on to post a 1-2 record, including a game that saw the team blow a 19-point lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers found themselves up by 14 points last night against the Charlotte Hornets, before eventually needing overtime to secure a victory. The noise has continued to buzz around the organization, as the team has struggled with their play on the court. It's become more than obvious that this team needs their captain back more than ever. When asked about the Lakers and LeBron James today on ESPN's First Take, NBA analyst and former player JJ Redick had some interesting comments regarding the 17-time All-Star.
" To me...it's the first time in my life, and i've known LeBron since he was 15 years old, where LeBron looks human.
"He had a core injury a couple of seasons ago. Last season he had an ankle injury and comes out and says 'I don't know if I'll ever be 100% again after that.' Then another core injury to start this year."
Redick brings up a lot of great points about LeBron James and his recent history of injuries. After a lengthy career in which LeBron James always seemed to find himself on the NBA court, the superstar forward has simply struggled to stay healthy. It's something that has continued to become a recurring issue over the last couple of years, as LeBron has quickly started to pile up injuries as he's gotten older.
Is Father Time Catching Up to LeBron James?
The recent abdominal injury to Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has added another chapter to his recent string of injuries. After dealing with a core injury several years ago, LeBron has seen his time on the sidelines start to add up. James dealt with an ankle injury last year that saw him only play a total of 45 games in the year. Since the 2018-19 season, LeBron has only had one season in which he played more than 60 games. If you look back throughout his entire career, LeBron only managed to play less than 70 games just two times in the span of 15-years before 2018-19. They say father time is undefeated, and the recent injury concerns for LeBron are only going to make fans wonder if James can regain his health and be on the floor for an extended period of time. As of now, the Lakers find themselves 6-5 for the season with a challenging slate of opponents on the upcoming schedule.