For the first time since his rookie year in 2003-04, LeBron James won’t be introduced as an NBA All-Star starter. That streak - two decades long - came to an end with the announcement of this year’s starters in January. But if you thought that meant the King wouldn’t be in Indianapolis at all, think again.
On Sunday, the league unveiled its list of reserves for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, and James is indeed on it. That makes 22 All-Star selections for the Lakers forward - a number no player in league history has matched. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19) and Kobe Bryant (18), both Lakers legends in their own right, now trail the all-time leader in this category.
Let’s pause for a second and appreciate the magnitude of that number. Twenty-two All-Star nods.
That’s not just longevity - that’s sustained excellence. And while James may not be putting up the 30-point nights he did in his prime, his game remains remarkably efficient and impactful.
Heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Knicks, James was averaging 21.9 points on 50.2% shooting from the field, along with 5.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. At age 41, he’s still orchestrating offense, still leading, and - clearly - still earning the respect of coaches around the league who vote for the reserves.
But while James is in, one of his Lakers teammates was left on the outside looking in.
Austin Reaves, who was playing the best basketball of his young career before a late-December injury, didn’t make the cut. And that’s a tough pill to swallow given the numbers he was putting up.
Reaves has been averaging 26.6 points and 6.3 assists this season - numbers that, in most years, would all but guarantee a spot in the All-Star Game. Unfortunately, a gastrocnemius strain suffered on Christmas sidelined him at the worst possible time, and availability matters when coaches make their picks.
The good news for Lakers fans? Reaves appears to be nearing a return. If he can pick up where he left off, don’t be surprised if his name starts popping up in All-NBA conversations down the stretch.
For now, though, the spotlight remains on James. He won’t be starting this year, but make no mistake - he’ll be there, suiting up for his 22nd All-Star appearance, adding yet another chapter to a career that continues to defy time.