Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

LeBron James Makes Personal Decision Amid 23rd NBA Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Jan 28, 2026 6:23 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers return to action Wednesday night when they face LeBron James’ former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. While James has spent the latter part of his 23-season NBA career building a legacy in purple and gold, his time in Cleveland remains foundational to his legacy.

Drafted No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers in 2003, James quickly became one of the league’s brightest stars. He earned two MVPs and six All-Star selections, while leading Cleveland to its first NBA Finals appearance in 2007. After spending seven years with the Cavaliers and developing into a generational talent, he left for the Miami Heat where he won two NBA titles in four seasons.

James returned to Cleveland in 2014 and authored the most defining chapter of the franchise’s history.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23)© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

His second stint culminated in the Cavaliers’ first NBA championship in 2016, when James led the franchise to a historic comeback against the Golden State Warriors after trailing 3-1 in the NBA Finals. He spent two more seasons in Cleveland before taking his talents to the West Coast.

Now in Los Angeles, James, who turned 41 in December, has defied age and expectations. In a story published Wednesday, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin detailed James’ final season in Cleveland.

McMenamin revealed how the NBA’s all-time leading scorer has shown a similar level of commitment to the Lakers this season, even after missing the first 14 games with sciatica and despite being eight years older than when he last played on the Cavaliers.

McMenamin also mentioned one of the lifestyle changes James made this season to keep himself as sharp as he could possibly be.

“[LeBron] James stopped drinking alcohol during his rehab, and he has slimmed down considerably, hoping to take pressure off his back and joints and to keep up with the young guys.”

New story: LeBron says his best season was 2017-18 in his farewell to Cleveland. There was chaos, there was greatness. And there were parallels to ‘25-26 https://t.co/JblcdMOkSE
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 28, 2026

For a player known to enjoy wine and who has business ventures in the spirits world, the change is notable and is another testament to James’ drive to maximize his performance late in his career.

Despite the setback early in the season, he returned and has been an impactful contributor. This season, James is averaging 22.4 points (50.7% FG), 6.7 assists and six rebounds, showing he can still influence games at a high level.

The Lakers are currently seeking their third straight win, while the Cavaliers also hope to extend a four-game streak of their own.

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

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