LeBron James Makes Major Knee Injury Statement on Monday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated May 5, 2025 1:16 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers were projected to compete for the championship this year after acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. However, the Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs in five games.

Not only did Los Angeles lose to Minnesota, but LeBron James also suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee in Game 5. Had the Lakers won Game 5, James would have missed Game 6.

The leading scorer in NBA history, James, was set to attend the Met Gala in New York on Monday. However, the future Hall of Famer announced on X that he won't be going because of his knee injury.

Unfortunately because of my knee injury I sustained at the end of the season I won’t be able to attend the Met Gala in NY tonight as so many people have been asking and congratulating me on! Hate to miss an historical event! My beautiful powerful Queen will be there holding the…
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 5, 2025

At 40 years old, James is the oldest active player in the NBA. The All-Star forward averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists during the 2024-25 regular season and 25.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in the Lakers-Timberwolves series.

A four-time champion, James has a player option to return to the Lakers next season. The Akron native told local reporters after Game 5 that he didn't know what Los Angeles' roster would look like next season.

"You don’t know what the (Lakers) roster will look like next year besides the guys that (are) locked into contracts,” James said after Game 5. "I got a lot to think about myself. So I don’t know what the roster will look like. I don’t know where I stand right now.”

James joined the Lakers in 2018. Los Angeles missed the playoffs in 2019, won the championship in 2020, lost in the first round of the 2021 playoffs, missed the playoffs in 2022, lost in the conference finals in 2023, and lost in the first round of the 2024 and 2025 playoffs.

A four-time Finals MVP, James turns 41 in December. He has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice), Miami Heat, and Lakers.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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