LeBron James Earns Record 22nd Consecutive All-Star Selection as Western Conference Reserve
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James was named to the 2026 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night, extending his league record to 22 straight appearances. For the first time in his career, the 41-year-old joins the Western Conference as a reserve rather than a starter.
James becomes only the second player in league history to collect multiple All-Star nods after turning 40, matching the feat previously achieved by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The selection comes during James’ NBA-record 23rd season.
The four-time MVP missed the Lakers’ first 14 games with sciatica and saw his decades-long double-digit scoring streak end on Dec. 4 against the Toronto Raptors. Since then, he has averaged 23.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists while shooting 52.0% from the field and 34.5% from three over 24 games.
With James included, the Lakers now have two players headed to the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, which will be staged Feb. 15 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. This year’s exhibition features a USA vs. World format, with the 24 selected athletes split into three eight-man squads. NBC and Peacock will carry the broadcast.
All-Star Starters
East: Cade Cunningham, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey
West: Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Stephen Curry, Victor Wembanyama
All-Star Reserves
Eastern Conference
- Donovan Mitchell – Cleveland Cavaliers
- Jalen Johnson – Atlanta Hawks
- Jalen Duren – Detroit Pistons
- Karl-Anthony Towns – New York Knicks
- Norman Powell – Miami Heat
- Pascal Siakam – Indiana Pacers
- Scottie Barnes – Toronto Raptors
Western Conference
- Anthony Edwards – Minnesota Timberwolves
- Deni Avdija – Portland Trail Blazers
- Devin Booker – Phoenix Suns
- Jamal Murray – Denver Nuggets
- Kevin Durant – Houston Rockets
- LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers
- Chet Holmgren – Oklahoma City Thunder
The 2026 event marks the first time James has not opened the All-Star Game, ending a run of 21 straight starts but preserving his perfect appearance streak that began in 2005.
Source: Lakers Nation
