Getty

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 21: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Houston Rockets during the second half of Game Two of the NBA Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers has been an ironman through his 23 NBA seasons, as up until this year, he’s rarely missed time with injuries.

Currently leading the Lakers in their first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets while they wait for Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves‘ injury returns, James has been healthy over the past few weeks for the start of the postseason.

However, heading into Game 5 of the Lakers’ series against the Rockets, in what could be a potential close-out matchup that could see Los Angeles advance to the second round, James revealed surprising injury news that might not impact his status in the series, but is notable nonetheless.

LeBron James Reveals Injury News Before Lakers-Rockets Game 5

Speaking in a long-ranging interview with Dave McMenamin of ESPN, James revealed that he has been dealing with an ankle injury for the past few years.

After getting his lower leg rolled over by Solomon Hill in March of 2021, James said his ankle ‘ain’t been the same since.’

“My foot and my ankle ain’t been the same since,” James said about his 2021 ankle injury that saw him miss 20 games as the Lakers eventually lost in a disappointing first-round playoff series. “Ever since that injury, I’ve been fighting uphill to get it back to normal. But it’s been a little blah ever since.”

Though James returned after suffering the injury to keep his consecutive 10-point game streak alive, he said that was the only reason he returned to that game, as what followed was a long-term absence.

“I was playing some of the best basketball of my career up until that point and leading this franchise in the right direction and then something like that happens, a high ankle sprain, and there’s nothing you can do about that,” he added.

While James has been overall very healthy throughout his career, the lower-body injuries have caught up to him this season with the Lakers. He missed the start of the year with sciatica, and a lingering foot injury has sidelined him at multiple points this season.

However, as it relates to the 2026 NBA Playoffs, the 41-year-old appears to be healthy, as he’s had a strong run in the Lakers’ first-round series against the Rockets while playing without their two leading scorers in Doncic and Reaves.

But, heading into Game 5, it looks as though Los Angeles is getting some more help for James, as Reaves is on the brink of returning from the oblique strain that has kept him out for nearly four weeks.

Austin Reaves Injury Return

Though Reaves is officially a game-time decision for the Lakers’ potential series-clinching matchup against the Rockets, the expectation is that he will play in Game 5.

“Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves is optimistic to return to action in Game 5 against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night after missing about four weeks with a Grade 2 oblique strain, sources tell ESPN,” Shams Charania wrote in a post on X Tuesday morning. “Reaves will be a game-time decision for the third consecutive contest.”

The insider has since followed that up with multiple reports stating that if no setbacks occur in warmups, then Reaves will finally make his injury return on Wednesday.

As for Doncic, he remains out indefinitely, still with no official injury return timeline. There is hope he could come back if the Lakers are able to advance into the second round, but for now, that is still uncertain.

But the good news is that Reaves appears to be back, and James is healthy. The Lakers will need both of them, as well as Doncic, to have any chance of making a deep playoff run.

Lakers vs Rockets Game 5 tips off on Wednesday, April 29, at 7 pm PST and will be live on ESPN.