LeBron Raymone James Senior has made history - again.
The 6'9" Los Angeles Lakers star is now the only player to compete in 23 NBA seasons after returning from injury in the 140-126 win against the Utah Jazz late on Tuesday in California.
It was 22 years ago, on October 29, 2003, when James first stepped onto an NBA basketball court for a regular season game.
At the of age 18, he scored 25 points, dished out nine assists and grabbed six rebounds for the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 106-92 defeat to the Sacramento Kings. It was a sign of things to come.
On that same day, James’s superstar Lakers teammate Luka Doncic was thousands of miles away in his native Slovenia. He was just four years old.
That day, one of the strongest solar flares in history took place, creating unusually vivid displays for those observing the Northern Lights.
At age 40, after breaking just about every NBA record under that same sun, James is ready to prove his star is still burning brightly.
James returned against Jazz after a bout of sciatica caused him to miss the Lakers’ first 14 games, as his team went on a surprising 10-4 run in his absence, largely due to the brilliant play of Doncic.
Amazingly, it is the first NBA campaign when all agree James is no longer his team’s best player.
One could have made an argument at the beginning of last season that then-Laker Anthony Davis - the other half of the shocking trade that brought Doncic to LA from the Dallas Mavericks - was the more dominant star, though their comparable stats made it a close debate.
Record breaker
The most total field goals made in NBA history, as well as the most consecutive games scoring 10 or more points
The only player in NBA history to reach 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists
Four-time regular season MVP and four-time NBA Finals MVP
Six-time NBA All-Defensive selection. Rookie of the Year in 2004
The most All-NBA selections with 21 in a row, including a record 13 first team selections
The most consecutive All-Star selections with 21
The only player to play alongside his son; Bronny James was chosen by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA draft
This season, Doncic is averaging almost 34.5 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, making him one of the early MVP favourites for the whole league.
Yes, James returns as the team’s number two, but he is also entering the season as the league’s oldest player for the third time in a row.
Most players his age have been retired for many years - the average NBA career is less than five years long, while the average retirement age for NBA players is 28, according to a study by RBC.
James, the Lakers say, has been in the league so long that he has played with or against 35 per cent of all players in NBA history.
But retirement will wait at least another season as he looks to add to the best CV in the sport’s history.
And he already has another record in his sights - he is now just 49 regular season appearances away from breaking Robert Parish’s NBA record of 1,611 outings.
He is already the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with more than 42,000 regular season points, surpassing former Laker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 2023.
And he will remain the only NBA player to score 40,000 points for quite some time - of the top ten all-time scorers, only Kevin Durant remains active on 30,882 points and counting.
He wasted no time in rewriting another passage from the NBA history books against the Jazz - his 11 points included two 3-pointers that moved him into sixth on the all-time list, ahead of Indiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller.
James scored a layup in the third quarter to extend his streak of double-digit scoring performances to a record 1,293 games.
"Just thought he played with the right spirit. Very unselfish all night. Was a willing passer, didn't force it, took his drives and his shots when they were there," said Lakers coach JJ Redick.
"The defence is going to pay attention to him, particularly when he has the ball in the post, particularly when he's putting pressure on the rim, and I just thought he made a lot of great decisions tonight. Really good to have him back."
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
more from Janine di Giovanni
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
On Women's Day
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UAE currency
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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The burning issue
On Women's Day
While you're here...
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
The specs
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm
Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: From Dh1 million
On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022
Kareem Shaheen on Canada
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
Squads
Pakistan: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Babar Azam (vc), Abid Ali, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Hasnain, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz
Sri Lanka: Lahiru Thirimanne (c), Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Avishka Fernando, Oshada Fernando, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka, Minod Bhanuka, Angelo Perera, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
While you're here
Record breaker
The most total field goals made in NBA history, as well as the most consecutive games scoring 10 or more points
The only player in NBA history to reach 10,000 rebounds and 10,000 assists
Four-time regular season MVP and four-time NBA Finals MVP
Six-time NBA All-Defensive selection. Rookie of the Year in 2004
The most All-NBA selections with 21 in a row, including a record 13 first team selections
The most consecutive All-Star selections with 21
The only player to play alongside his son; Bronny James was chosen by the Lakers in the 2024 NBA draft