LeBron James Won't Attend Met Gala Due to Knee Injury from Lakers' Loss vs. Wolves

The Met Gala will be missing an all-time basketball great this year.

LeBron James took to social media Monday to explain he will not attend this year's Met Gala in New York City because of the knee injury he suffered in Game 5 of the Los Angeles Lakers' first-round playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

However, he said his wife, Savannah, will be in attendance:

James was set to play a special role in Monday's event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Madeleine Schulz of Vogue Business noted James was named an honorary chair for this year's Met Gala. What's more, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton was one of the co-chairs alongside Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky and Pharrell Williams.

It would have been the King's first Met Gala.

The sports world will still be well represented in addition to Hamilton. As Jael Rucker of Sporting News highlighted, Olympic legend Simone Biles, WNBA star Angel Reese, Olympian Sha'Carri Richardson and NFL player Jonathan Owens are on the revived host committee.

James will not be in attendance, though, due to that knee injury that would have been a problem if the Lakers had won Wednesday's Game 5 and preserved their season.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported an MRI revealed the 21-time All-Star suffered a Grade 2 MCL in the collision with Donte DiVincenzo. That injury typically requires a recovery timeline of three to five weeks.

That likely would have left the Lakers fighting for their season without their leader, even if they cut Minnesota's lead to 3-2 in the series. 

Instead, he will have the entire offseason to recover following the early exit.