LeBron James Falls Ill Before Lakers vs. Heat

Ahead of the Jan. 4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat game set to premiere at 10 p.m. EST on ESPN, Mike Trudell announced that Lakers forward LeBron James would not participate due to sudden illness. In a Tweet, Trudell wrote: “Update for tonight from the Lakers: LeBron James (non-COVID illness) and Lonnie Walker IV (left knee soreness) have been downgraded to OUT for tonight’s game vs. Miami.”

James being sidelined comes as he’s trying to make basketball history. The four-time NBA champion is 484 points away from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record for No. 1 on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Abdul-Jabbar played 20 seasons in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks and the James’ current team, the Lakers. He is a six-time NBA champion.

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Currently, James is averaging 29.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.6 assists over 29 games this season, per the NBA’s official website. He has scored 40-plus points in each of his last two games, including 47 points against the Hawks on Dec. 30, right before the New Year.

Nicknamed “King James,” he’s lauded as one of the greatest in NBA history, often compared to Michael Jordan. He was drafted by the Cleavland Cavillers in 2003 before leaving the team for Miami, returning after winning two championships with Miami to bring a championship to his hometown of Ohio. he’s been with the Lakers since 2018.

James’ career transcends basketball. Aside from various endorsement deals, James has been a part-owner of Liverpool F.C. He also has his own foundation,  which has opened an elementary school, housing complex, retail plaza/community center, and medical center in Akron, Ohio. 

In recent years, he’s become part of the wider entertainment industry, starting his own production company where he produces movies and other projects, including music and brand deals. SpringHill Company has produced films and series for Netflix, HBO, Disney+, and Apple+ – and even CBS, NBC, ABC and ESPN.