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LeBron James Had Hilarious Message About His Status for Back-to-Back Games

James reminded everyone that he is 41 years old now.

Madison Williams

LeBron James was honest about how being 41 years old takes a toll on him.
LeBron James was honest about how being 41 years old takes a toll on him. / Oh No He Didn’t/Screengrab
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LeBron James turned 41 last month, but that isn’t slowing down the Lakers superstar. On Tuesday night against the Pelicans, James posted 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Not too bad for the player in his record 23rd season.

James was honest after the game about the toll these performances take on his body now, especially when the Lakers play on back-to-back days. Los Angeles is set to face the Spurs on Wednesday, and James’s status is undetermined.

The future Hall of Famer told reporters, in quite a funny way, that they shouldn’t expect him to always know if he’ll play on consecutive days. He had to remind reporters that he’s 41 now, even if he doesn’t look his age on the court.

“I’m 41 years old. Every back to back for the reason of the season is TBD,” James said. “I am 41. I got the most minutes in NBA history—bank it right now. What are we talking about?”

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When the reporter pushed James more about not looking his age on the court, the Lakers star spouted a hilarious response.

“Look at my birth certificate—December 30, 1984 4:39 p.m. That's when I was born. When I came out I slapped the doctor in the a--. Alright, I'm done.”

That’s one way to get his point across.

James hasn’t been known to sit out in back-to-back contests in seasons past. But, the 2025-26 season started late for him as he dealt with a sciatica nerve issue on his right side that sat him out for the first 14 games. He’s missed a couple other games because of left foot management. It’s clear James is wanting to prioritize his health and not overdo his body.

The Lakers are on fire right now as they’ve jumped up to the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference with a 23–11 record. We’ll see if James plays on Wednesday night.

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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.

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