LeBron James made history on Tuesday, becoming the first NBA player to compete in 23 consecutive seasons when he took the floor for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 40-year-old, returning after missing the team’s first 14 games due to sciatica, logged 11 points, 12 assists, and three rebounds in 30 minutes during the Lakers’ 140–126 victory over the Utah Jazz.
James — already the league’s all-time leading scorer — surpassed Vince Carter’s record of 22 straight seasons. His pair of made three-pointers also moved him past Reggie Miller into sixth place on the NBA’s career three-pointers list.
“It’s been a long time since he played, so for a first game back he looked incredible,” said teammate Luka Dončić. “He’ll keep finding his rhythm and he’s going to help us a lot.”
Dončić posted a game-high 37 points along with four steals, 10 assists, and five rebounds. Austin Reaves added 26 points for Los Angeles, while Utah’s Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen scored 34 and 31 points, respectively.
The win lifts the Lakers to fourth in the Western Conference, with the Jazz sitting in 10th.
