Just hours before he was due to suit up for Shaq’s OGs in the All-Star game alongside Steph Curry, LeBron James dropped the bombshell that he won’t be playing.
“You won’t see anything from me tonight, unfortunately,” LeBron announced at the pre-game press conference. “I will not be in uniform tonight. Still dealing with ankle and foot discomfort so I will not be playing tonight unfortunately.”
After explaining he wasn’t playing, LeBron was then pressed by the media and was asked if it was maintenance or a wear and tear situation with his ankle.
“I mean, it was a little bit of both,” LeBron said. “I was hoping it would feel a lot better this morning, but its not where I wanted it to be and you know, what? 30 games left and us trying to make a playoff push in the wild wild west. I felt like it was very important for me to take care of myself and understand whats coming on. So, I wont say its maintenance – it is maintenance, but at the same time its like I have to look out for myself with this injury – I’ve been dealing with for years. So I hope to be available on Wednesday, have to have a make up game so I am headed back to LA tonight. There will be no vacation for me. So I head back to LA tonight, back to rehab tomorrow and get ready for practice on Tuesday and hopefully I can play against Charlotte on Wednesday and hopefully play against Portland on Thursday. So its a big stretch for us.”
Without James, Shaq’s team will be made up of Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Damian Lillard.
The team will face off against the winners of the Rising Stars Tournament – Team Candace. Made up of Dalton Knecht, Keyonte George, Stephon Castle, Jaylen Wells, Trayce-Jackson Davis, Amen Thompson, Ryan Dunn and Zach Edey.
It would seem it’s too late to bring in a replacement for Bron.
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