Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is set to miss the team's season-opener after the Lakers said he will be sidelined three to four weeks with sciatica, multiple U.S. media outlets reported Thursday.
The Lakers revealed the diagnosis of right-side sciatica after the team's practice, where the 40-year-old James again was not a full participant.
He missed the Lakers' first two preseason games with what coach JJ Redick called nerve irritation in his glute.
Sciatica is pain or numbness that follows the path of the sciatic nerve from the lower back down the leg.
The Lakers said James would be reevaluated in about three to four weeks and further updates would be provided at that time.
Redick said Thursday that James and Luka Doncic were limited to "modified, mostly individual work" at practice.
The Lakers open their season against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21.
ESPN reported on Tuesday that James would likely miss all of the preseason but had hoped to be ready for opening night.
The four-time NBA champion and the league's all-time leading points scorer told reporters on media day last month that he was "excited" by the prospect of becoming the first player in NBA history to play a 23rd season.
"Whatever the journey lays out this year, I'm super-invested because I don't know when the end is. It's a lot sooner than later," he said.
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