LeBron James is set to extend an NBA Christmas Day record this week, but his honesty around the moment has cut through louder than the milestone itself.
The Los Angeles Lakers star will play in his 20th Christmas Day game on Wednesday, the most by any player in league history. Yet ahead of that appearance, James admitted the pull of family now weighs heavier than the tradition he has helped define.
It was a rare moment of reflection from a player whose name has long been synonymous with the NBA’s biggest stage.
‘I’d much rather be at home’
Speaking candidly, James made no attempt to dress up how he feels about spending Christmas at work.
“I’d much rather be at home with my family. But I mean, it’s the game. It’s the game that I love. It’s a game I watched when I was a kid on Christmas Day, watching a lot of the greatest play the game on Christmas,” James said.
“It has always been an honor to play it.
“Obviously, I’m gonna be completely honest, I would like to be home on the couch with my family all throughout the day. But our number is called, so we have to go out and perform and I look forward to it.”
LeBron James’ record
James has become a permanent fixture of the NBA’s holiday showcase.
This will be his 20th Christmas Day appearance, breaking his own record. Across his first 19 games, he holds an 11–8 record, more wins than any other player on Christmas Day.
He also leads all players in Christmas Day points with 507, alongside records for steals and field goals made. The numbers underline how central he has been to the league’s festive calendar for two decades.
James first played on Christmas as a rookie and has missed the holiday game just once since. Over time, he moved from rising star to centrepiece of the NBA’s biggest regular-season date.
That connection matters to him. He has spoken often about watching Christmas Day games growing up and seeing the league’s greats perform when the spotlight was brightest.
Lakers duty still comes first
James will lead the Lakers against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena, with another packed Christmas audience watching on.
The Lakers are in contention at the top of the Western Conference with a 19-8 record.
They’ll be involved in just one of five games taking place on Christmas Day in 2025.
