LeBron James Extends All-Star Streak to 22 Years

NEW YORK — While LeBron James might not have been overly focused on it, the NBA community certainly had its doubts about whether his All-Star streak would carry on. Just before the Lakers faced off against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, it became clear: the streak lives. James has been named to the NBA All-Star team for an impressive 22 consecutive years, solidifying a record that was already his before the announcement.

Selected as a reserve by the league’s head coaches—who can’t vote for players on their own teams—James, now 41, remains a standout performer. In 31 games this season, he’s averaged 21.9 points, 6.6 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.1 steals.

“I’m very humbled,” James expressed following Sunday’s loss. “I really respect the coaches who recognized my play at this point in my career. It means a lot to my family and to the fans who have been there through my journey.” He added, “It’s always nice to feel your efforts are rewarded.”

Initially, James’ All-Star candidacy appeared at risk due to a sluggish start this season, including missing the first 14 games due to sciatica, and seeing his streak of double-digit scoring come to an end at 1,297 games during a December 4 victory against the Toronto Raptors. However, since that setback, he has bounced back impressively, averaging 23.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 6.1 rebounds.

“Honestly, I didn’t focus on being an All-Star,” James clarified. “It wasn’t my intention to miss those early games and then think, ‘I need to make the All-Star team.’ My focus was on returning to high-level play. If I could make up for lost time during the preseason and summer training, I knew I could get back to form.” In truth, the All-Star Game wasn’t on his mind.

James’ latest selection as an All-Star adds to his lead over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has 19 All-Star appearances, the next highest in NBA history. “When you consider a star player’s prime coupled with their All-NBA and All-Star years, James essentially had over 20 years of prime performance,” said Lakers coach JJ Reddick, remarking on the unprecedented nature of this achievement. “It’s incredible and a testament to his hard work.”

James and fellow star Luka Doncic will represent the Lakers in the upcoming All-Star Game on February 15 at the Intuit Dome. Doncic, celebrating James’ selection, remarked, “He absolutely deserves it. Playing at such a high level at his age is unbelievable, and it’s an honor to share the court with him.”

This year’s All-Star Game will adopt a different format, featuring a US vs. world competition, with players split into three teams, each with eight members. They’ll compete in a round-robin setup of four 12-minute games.