Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James is not yet ready to make his debut for the 2025-26 season. He is dealing with sciatica on his right side and is reportedly targeting a mid-November return date to the Lakers lineup. When he does return, he’ll make history as the first NBA player to reach his 23rd season.
What makes this even more unprecedented is that he’s entering a historic 23rd season as one of the best players in basketball. James was named to the All-NBA Second Team for 2024-25 — his 22nd campaign — and is inarguably one of the 15 best players in the game right now. And the jersey he wears in his debut will reflect that.
The NBA is adding patches to the jerseys of every player that won a major award for the 2024-25 season, that will be worn in each of those players’ season debuts, via Anthony Gharib of ESPN:
The uniforms of award winners from the 2024-25 NBA season will look a little different for opening week.
Players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (MVP), Evan Mobley (Defensive Player of the Year) and Stephon Castle (Rookie of the Year) will have their respective trophy icons sewn above the Nike swoosh on the front of their uniforms.
Members of the All-NBA, All-Rookie and All-Defensive teams will also don a specific patch. However, individual awards have precedence over that one. For example, Gilgeous-Alexander will only wear an MVP patch, although he was named to the All-NBA first team.
The patch will be worn only for their season debut, with 35 different players set to wear one. The uniform will then be auctioned off by Sotheby’s, the official game-worn source of the NBA, during the season. Each player will receive a uniform to keep.
This is a cool addition by the NBA to give last season’s best players one more chance to show off what they accomplished. LeBron will be among the players to have an All-NBA patch, as he was named to the Second Team but did not receive any individual awards like MVP or Defensive Player of the Year.
While the NBA likely meant this as a way to add some extra intrigue into Opening Week — as well as find another type of jersey to sell — James will still get the honor even if his season debut comes a month into the year.
LeBron James one of three Lakers players out for Opening Night
LeBron James, Adou Thiero and Maxi Kleber are the three unavailable Lakers players as they face the Golden State Warriors to tip off the 2025-26 NBA season. Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and Gabe Vincent are the expected starters with key reserves being Jarred Vanderbilt, Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, Jaxson Hayes and Dalton Knecht.
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