Lakers superstar LeBron James will be making an unprecedented 22nd consecutive NBA All-Star Game appearance after being selected Sunday as a Western Conference reserve by the league’s coaches.
He joins teammate and leading vote getter Luka Doncic, who was named a starter last week.
James’ streak, which spans three decades, appeared to be in jeopardy after he was not named a starter for the first time in his career. But the coaches couldn’t ignore James’ historic play this season.
“Super humbling,” James said Sunday night in New York, after the Lakers lost to the Knicks, 112-100. “The coaches voted, right, so mad respect to the coaches and them seeing the way I’m still playing at this latter stage of my career.
“And to be able to be an All-Star means a lot to my family, people that have been following my career, my LeBron faithful. They’ve been following my journey and it’s always rewarding just from a humbling standpoint to be able to be rewarded for what you put your work into.”
The 41-year-old forward is averaging 21.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists per game and 1.1 steals over 33.1 minutes. He missed the first 14 games because of sciatica and started slowly when he returned, but has been playing at a higher level lately. Since celebrating his birthday on Dec. 30, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer has elevated his output, posting averages of 23.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 1.7 steals in the past 16 games.
James is the All-Star record holder in appearances and points scored (434) in those games. He is just the second player to earn multiple All-Star selections after the age of 40, joining Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
After he was not chosen as a starter this season in the fan, media, and player voting, James said he was not bothered by the outcome and would be “good either way” if he was not added as a reserve.
Asked Sunday night if he ever thought about whether his All-Star streak was in jeopardy, James said, “I didn’t really think about it. To be honest, it wasn’t a goal of mine to come into the season, miss the first 14 games and say, ‘OK, I need to be an All-Star.’ I just wanted to get back to playing the game at a high level I knew I was capable of, once I kind of worked the rust off [from] missing preseason, training camp, my summer workouts – which I’ve never done in my whole career.”
James did not play in last season’s All-Star Game because of injury.
“You think about a star player, their prime is their All-NBA, All-Star years,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said Sunday. “And you know, he’s basically had a 20-plus-year prime. It’s kind of unheard of. It is unheard of, uncharted, whatever you want to call it. I mean, it’s incredible. It’s a testament to the work that he puts in.”
Doncic was pleased with his teammate’s selection.
“Of course he deserves it,” Doncic said. “He’s playing at a top level still at that age. It’s incredible to share the floor with him.”
The players joining James as Western Conference reserves are Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren and Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker.
For many, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard looked to be a clear choice to be among the reserves, but the coaches did not include the six-time All-Star, leaving the Clippers without a representative at the midseason event that will be played Feb. 15 at their home court, Intuit Dome.
Leonard is seventh in the NBA in scoring (27.7 points per game) and first in steals (2.1) and has led the way as the Clippers have turned around a season that looked all but lost six weeks ago. They won for the 17th time in 21 games Sunday night in Phoenix to improve to 23-25.
Either Leonard – who since Dec. 20 has led the league in scoring and steals – or Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun is probably the best candidate to replace Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, who will sit out the game because of a calf injury. NBA commissioner Adam Silver will pick a replacement for Antetokounmpo, plus any additional players if necessary.
The Eastern Conference reserves are Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Knicks forward Karl-Anthony Towns, Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren, Miami Heat guard Norman Powell and Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson.
Under the NBA’s latest format change for the event, the 24 All-Star participants will be divided into three eight-player rosters – two featuring Americans, with the third made up of international players. They will each play two 12-minute games, with the two teams with the best record – or the two with the best point differential if they all go 1-1 – facing each other in a 12-minute championship game.
Other players chosen with Doncic as starters last month were: Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry, Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama.
Silver has the ability to add as many either American or international players, as necessary, to get to the 16 American and eight international players needed to fill out the rosters.
News services contributed to this story.
Fresh off another All-Star nod, LeBron breaks down what decided the game and where this group can improve. pic.twitter.com/g2N7B9km8X
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) February 2, 2026
The Mercury News
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