LeBron James turned heads with his outfit choice on Wednesday. The four-time NBA MVP rocked a custom Columbus Blue Jackets Stadium Series jersey while watching from the sidelines as the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena.
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Sidelined with a groin injury, James appeared on the ESPN broadcast sporting a custom No. 23 Blue Jackets jersey. Columbus debuted the uniform on March 1 during the 2025 Stadium Series matchup against the Detroit Red Wings at Ohio Stadium.
The Blue Jackets responded to ESPN’s social media post with a bold statement: “No debate: LeBron is the [goat emoji],”
James, an Akron, Ohio native, has consistently backed teams from his home state. His choice to wear Blue Jackets gear comes at a crucial time, as Columbus fights for a playoff spot. The team trails the Montreal Canadiens by three points for the final Eastern Conference wild-card berth, aiming for its first postseason appearance since 2020.
The Los Angeles Lakers coasting against the Denver Nuggets
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks on from the bench against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
The Lakers, playing without LeBron James and forward Rui Hachimura, cruised past the short-handed Nuggets 120-108. Luka Doncic led the way with 31 points, while Denver, missing stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, struggled to keep up. Los Angeles capitalized on the opportunity, extending its home winning streak to nine games.
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Even without James, the Lakers have bounced back with consecutive wins after dropping four straight on the road. Dorian Finney-Smith has stepped into the starting lineup to fill James' spot.
James remains day-to-day, according to Lakers coach JJ Redick. The star forward has now missed six consecutive games, including four against Western Conference teams. Before his injury, he delivered a strong performance against the Celtics, finishing with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists in 35 minutes.
James has been averaging 25.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.2 assists while shooting 51.7% from the field and 38.4% from three-point range. His health will be crucial for the Lakers as they push for the third seed in the Western Conference.
The Lakers return to the court Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Blue Jackets continue their playoff push with a game on Friday.
LeBron James' potential return will be a major storyline as the Lakers prepare to face the Orlando Magic. While he is ruled out for matchups against the Nuggets and Bucks on March 20, he could rejoin the lineup as Los Angeles embarks on a four-game road stretch.
The Lakers are set to take on the Magic, Bulls, Pacers, and Grizzlies, with the back-to-back games against Chicago and Indiana serving as their last consecutive outings of the regular season.