LeBron James has spoken about the serious knee injury that knocked him out of the first round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers star explains how he experienced the injury and what it means for his future.
LeBron James had big plans for the first round of the 2025 playoffs, but a hard hit in Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves left him with a painful knee injury and ended his season.
In a discussion on the Mind The Game podcast, the 40-year-old spoke about the consequences of the injury and what it means for his future. LeBron revealed that he had never had to deal with such an injury before. “It was the first time I’ve ever had a really long-term knee injury,” James explained.
“A pain I’ve never felt before”
The moment of truth came during the game when LeBron immediately felt that something was wrong. “I knew right away… I knew instantly that it was a pain I had never felt before,” the Lakers star reported.
It is a severe ligament sprain in his left knee – an injury that will force him to stay off the court for an extended period of time. The pain was so intense that he knew immediately that this was not just a minor injury that he could nurse back to health with some rest.
Playoffs without LeBron: The end of a season
Despite the difficult circumstances, LeBron explained that even if the Lakers had won Game 5, the injury would have meant the end of his season. “Whether we won Game 5 or not, I would have missed Game 6, 7 and possibly more,” said the 40-year-old. This is a bitter pill to swallow for the King, who continues to play at the peak of his powers but is not invulnerable.
However, James emphasized that he now has enough time to fully heal his knee and return to his former strength. He expressed confidence that he can make a comeback even after this setback.
Another year in the NBA: What comes after his 41st birthday?
Despite his advanced age, LeBron remains one of the most dominant players in the league. With an average of 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game, he showed little sign of wear and tear in the 2024/2025 season. But the coming year could present a new challenge for the Lakers star: he will be entering his 23rd NBA season and will already be 41 years old in December.
