LeBron James has been cleared to return to the Los Angeles Lakers after missing one game under the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
The league said James is not positive for COVID-19 despite a series of tests that produced conflicting results earlier this week. Additional testing cleared James to play when the Lakers host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.
James got an initial positive test from a sample collected Monday. The sample was retested twice, producing one positive and one negative result. James underwent additional testing Tuesday, but those tests returned one negative result and one clinically inconclusive result, according to the league.
James subsequently had two negative PCR tests conducted more than 24 hours apart, meeting the criteria necessary to return to play.
He missed the Lakers’ victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.
James revealed in September that he had gotten vaccinated.
James had already sat out several games due to injuries and a suspension. The Lakers are 7-4 with James and 5-7 without him.
