LeBron James returns for 23rd NBA season as a super-charged role player

LeBron James had a quiet scoring night in his belated 2025-26 debut. But for a Los Angeles Lakers team that started 10-4 in his absence, he's the perfect addition to a formidable-looking Lakers roster.

The Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz, 140-125, with James putting up 11 points and 12 assists in the first game of his NBA record 23rd season. King James started slowly, not scoring until 15 minutes into the game, but delivered a highly-efficient performance that elevated his teammates.

LeBron James is focusing on being a facilitator

For all but one season of his extensive career, LeBron James has led his team in scoring. Anthony Davis finished with 54 more points than James in 2023-24, and edged him in points per game in 2019-20. This season is the first time James is playing with a superior scorer in Luka Doncic, who had 37 points Tuesday night and is averaging 34.6 PPG on the season.

But while James is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, he's also fourth in career assists. That's where his focus was against the Jazz. Seconds into the game, James lost the ball to Jazz rookie Ace Bailey, who wasn't even born until just before James' fourth NBA season. After that, James didn't commit a single turnover while racking up 12 dimes.

Deandre Ayton was the biggest recipient of James' largesse, as James delivered four of his assists to his new center. It was the pair's first game together as teammates and James seemed to make it his mission to get the big man easy buckets. Ayton finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds on just 13 shots from the field.

James also found new teammate Jake LaRavia on consecutive possessions for an and-one layup and a wide-open three-pointer in the fourth quarter.