Lakers G League Coach Opens Up About LeBron James Practice Appearance

Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) brings the ball up court against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

It's not every day that a future Hall of Famer, 21-time All-Star, and potentially the greatest player of all time laces up for a practice with a G League team.

After sitting out for the entirety of training camp, the preseason and the beginning of the regular season with a sciatica injury in his lower back, Los Angeles Lakers star forward LeBron James made his return to the basketball court last week, starting in the G League with the South Bay Lakers before practicing with Los Angeles proper for the first time on Monday.

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While the stint in the G League served as a way to ease James back into playing shape, it was also the chance of a lifetime for South Bay head coach Zach Guthrie and his team.

cont: "For all of our guys what an unbelievable experience. I talked to them about the two days of practice. Look this dudes practice habits. Look at how he's the first one in, how he approaches it. How his mind is completely locked in. Completely dialed..His prep before hand and…

— Raj C. (@RajChipalu) November 17, 2025

"To have the greatest player of all time join your practice, first and foremost, what an opportunity for each and every one of us to be a part of it. To just be a small part of his journey, his 23rd season, getting him back to health and getting him back to playing where he should be playing with the Lakers is an unbelievable experience," Guthrie said about having James in South Bay.

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James' presence was obviously beneficial for the Lakers in the short term, as they hope to have the four-time MVP back on the court at some point this week — maybe as early as Tuesday night. However, Guthrie noted, it could also potentially have a long term positive effect on the Lakers, as many of their developing players had the rare opportunity to watch how James approaches practice.

'What An Unbelievable Experience'

"For all of our guys, what an unbelievable experience," Guthrie said. "I talked to them about the two days of practice. Look this dudes practice habits. Look at how he's the first one in, how he approaches it. How his mind is completely locked in. Completely dialed. ... His prep beforehand and after, how he takes care of his body is incredible."

Now that his brief stint in South Bay is over, James is focused on returning to the Lakers, who have risen to the fourth spot in the Western Conference with a 10-4 record.

James said he will wait to see how he feels before deciding whether to play Tuesday against the Utah Jazz. He has been listed as questionable on the Lakers' injury report.

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.