For the first time in two decades, an NBA season tipped off without LeBron James in uniform — and even his fiercest rival noticed.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who has faced James 53 times in his career, admitted it felt “odd” to play against the Los Angeles Lakers without the 40-year-old superstar on the floor.
“It’s always different when he’s not out there,” Green said after the Warriors’ 111-103 season-opening win Tuesday night. “Obviously, we’ve had battles with Luka [Dončić] as well. Luka’s an incredible player, but Bron is Bron, and the battles that we’ve had over the years, you look forward to those. So it’s very odd.”
James, sidelined by sciatica, sat in street clothes as his team fell to the defending Pacific Division champions. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the four-time MVP is expected to remain out until at least mid-November.
‘I Don’t Wish That on My Worst Enemy’ — Green on LeBron’s Sciatica Pain
Despite their history of heated rivalry, Green spoke with unusual empathy about James’ condition — revealing that he knows firsthand how debilitating sciatic nerve pain can be.
“I’ve dealt with what Bron is dealing with, so I don’t wish that on my worst enemy,” Green said. “You live that all day, every day. You sit down, and your leg and your glutes start jumping. You’re just standing there talking to someone, and you get pain shooting down your leg and cramps. I’ve lived that.”
Green said recovery from sciatica can be unpredictable and mentally exhausting.
“Wishing him a speedy recovery,” he added. “It’s not like there’s a real timetable. You’ve just got to see how far you can push it, and then see how much further you can push it.”
For James, who has built a career on durability and dominance, the injury represents yet another chapter in a season filled with “firsts” — including missing his first-ever season opener in 23 years.
Draymond Green-LeBron James Rivalry
Though Green and James have traded blows on the court — and exchanged words off it — the two stars share a unique bond forged through competition. They’ve met in four NBA Finals, with James’ Cleveland Cavaliers stunning Golden State in 2016 after Green’s infamous Game 5 suspension for making contact with James’ groin.
That moment remains one of the most dramatic turning points in Finals history — the Warriors blew a 3–1 lead, and James delivered Cleveland its first NBA championship.
“You know we enjoy those battles against him,” Green said. “We’re all not sure how many of them we have left, so we definitely want to embrace them and have a few more for sure.”
LeBron’s Uncertain Future With Lakers
As James recovers, questions swirl around his future with the Lakers, who are now centered around Dončić. For the first time since arriving in Los Angeles in 2018, James enters the season without a player option — and with free agency looming.
He exercised his $52.6 million player option this summer, but beyond this season, his path remains uncertain.
Lakers president Rob Pelinka said the franchise will let James dictate his own timeline.
“In terms of LeBron’s career, the number one thing we have to do is respect his and his family’s decision on how long he’s gonna play,” Pelinka said in August. “We want to respect his timetable. But if he had a chance to retire as a Laker, that would be great.”
Father Time Remains Undefeated
At 40, James continues to battle the relentless march of Father Time. Once the league’s ironman, his recent injuries — from ankle strains to now sciatica — hint that his body may finally be signaling limits.
Still, Green’s compassion revealed the deep respect between two warriors who’ve spent over a decade testing each other’s greatness.
“It’s odd not seeing him out there,” Green said. “He don’t miss many games, let alone a season opener.”
The next time the Lakers and Warriors meet in February next year, Green hopes James will be back — not just because of their rivalry, but because, as Green put it best, “Bron is Bron.”
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