LeBron James stars in starting lineup against Utah Jazz; sets new record for longest NBA career

LeBron James set the record for the longest career in the league’s history during his side’s fixture against the Utah Jazz.

Updated on: Nov 19, 2025, 17:01:55 IST

By HT Infotainment Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has set another incredible record by featuring at the Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night to kickstart a league-record 23rd season. The 21-time All-Star set the record for the longest career in the league’s history during his side’s fixture against the Utah Jazz. Ahead of Tuesday, James had shared the honour with Vince Carter, who played 22 NBA seasons spanning between 1998 and 2000, as per CNN.

LeBron James is the only player to feature in 23 NBA seasons. (Getty Images via AFP)

Also read: Tennessee Titans place Calvin Ridley on injured reserve with broken leg

LeBron James’ injury issues

James was sidelined since the start of training camp by sciatica, thus ruling him out of the Lakers’ first 14 games of the 2025-26 campaign. “My lungs feel like a newborn baby. That’s the most important thing: I’ve got to get my lungs back up to a grown man,” the NBA's all-time leading scorer had told the reporters after practice on Monday, as per CNN.

James came back to practice with the side on Monday, joining the Lakers teammates for his first 5-on-5 action with them since the team’s first-round exit from the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves in April, as per ESPN.

Also read: Deion Sanders' emotional moment: Shedeur's NFL debut with the Browns

Much-awaited debut vs Jazz

Around 30 minutes prior to the tipoff, the side confirmed that James would start for the 1,561st time in his 1,563rd regular-season game, as reported by news agency AP. James checked out 5 1/2 minutes into the quarter and sat on his usual elevated seat on the Lakers’ bench before coming back to the court late in the first quarter.

With this debut, James is now 48 games behind Robert Parish’s NBA record for regular-season games played (1,611), reported AP. James had become the top scorer in the history of the NBA in February 2023, and last March, he became the first player to put up 50,000 total points in the regular season and playoffs combined, according to AP.

FAQs

What is the new record achieved by LeBron James?

LeBron James has set the record for the longest career (23rd season) in the league’s history.

Against which team did LeBron James make his comeback?

LeBron James made a comeback against the Utah Jazz.

Is LeBron James the top scorer in NBA history?

Yes, in March, he became the first player to score 50,000 points in the regular season.

Catch all the latest Sports News, scores, and highlights in one place. Stay updated with real-time coverage of your favorite games and athletes along with Lionel Messi latest updates.