LeBron’s Sciatica Shows Us Father Time Is Finally Catching Up

Retirement’s been creeping up on LeBron James like bill collectors on the first of the month. You see it in the way he walks back to the bench. You hear it in the postgame interviews.

And now… you can literally feel it in his back.

Sciatica. The word alone sounds painful. Like something that shouldn’t exist for a man who’s been moving like a tank on turbo for two decades.

According to the Lakers, LeBron’s out three to four weeks with sciatica on his right side —basically, nerve irritation that starts in the lower spine and shoots through the leg.

Translation: it hurts to move, sit, or even breathe wrong.

And listen, I don’t care how superhuman some of you think Bron is — that’s rough. Man’s been hooping since George W. Bush was president, and we still expect him to drop 30, 8, and 8 like it’s nothing.

The dude’s 40 years old! He’s played more minutes than almost anyone in NBA history. That body has seen playoff runs, Olympic golds, and more contact than a Detroit cornerback.

So when JJ Redick says LeBron’s on “his own timeline,” I believe him. Because honestly, what else can you say to a man who’s already defied time, science, and logic for two decades straight?

But it still stings. Because as fans, seeing him sidelined while the Lakers grind through camp just feels... weird.

Like seeing your favorite superhero finally bleed.

And the timing? Brutal. The Lakers open the season against the Warriors on Oct. 21, and if this sciatica thing lingers, Bron might be chilling in a tailored suit instead of his No. 23 jersey.

That’s not what anyone wants. Especially not the Lakers, who are 248-171 when Bron plays… and 56-78 when he doesn’t. In other words, when LeBron sits, the Lakers look like the Hornets.

The bigger question now is how much longer can he really keep this up?

LeBron’s entering his record-breaking 23rd season — that’s one more than Vince Carter, who was basically doing windmills in his 40s for nostalgia points.

Bron’s still dropping MVP-level numbers. Still making Father Time look like he’s on a layaway plan.

But this injury feels different. Not because of the severity — but because of what it symbolizes. For the first time, Bron’s body is talking louder than his will.

And if we’re keeping it 100, that’s scary.

Now, don’t get it twisted, I’m not saying the King is done. Far from it. I’m just saying the crown might start feeling a little heavier. Because once nerve issues start acting up, they don’t just vanish.

You manage them. You play around them. You adjust.

Still, if anybody can come back and drop 35 the night after a chiropractor visit, it’s LeBron.

So yeah, Father Time is undefeated, but if we’re keeping score, Bron still got him in overtime.