Ghana: James a Surprise Selection for NBA All-Star Game

3 February 2026
Ghanaian Times (Accra)

LeBron James has been selected for a record-extending 22nd consecutive NBA All-Star game by being named among the reserves from the Western Conference.

The 41-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star was not selected as a starter in January but was among the seven reserves chosen from each of the Eastern and Western Conferences by NBA coaches.

James, who missed his side's first 14 matches of the 2025-26 campaign because of sciatica, has played 31 times this season and is averaging 21.9 points per game.

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"It wasn't a goal of mine to come into the season, miss the first 14 games and say, 'OK, I can be an All-Star'," James told reporters after playing in the Lakers' 112-100 defeat against the New York Knicks.

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"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 of missing pre-season, training camp and my summer workouts, which I've never done in my whole career.

"So I didn't think about the All-Star Game, to be honest."

James was selected for the NBA All-Star game in 2025 but did not play because he picked up an injury.

Kevin Durant, who plays for the Houston Rockets, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns and Anthony Edwards from the Minnesota Timberwolves were also selected as a Western Conference reserves.

The All-Star game has been revamped this season and will feature two teams of players from the United States and one team of international players.

They will compete in a round-robin tournament of four 12-minute games. The top two teams will then face each other in a championship game.-BBC

Starters selected from Eastern Conference:

Giannis Antetokounmpo* - Milwaukee Bucks

Jaylen Brown - Boston Celtics

Jalen Brunson - New York Knicks

Cade Cunningham - Detroit Pistons

Tyrese Maxey - Philadelphia 76ers

Reserves selected from Eastern Conference:

Scottie Barnes - Toronto Raptors

Jalen Duren - Detroit Pistons

Jalen Johnson - Atlanta Hawks

Donovan Mitchell - Cleveland Cavaliers

Norman Powell - Miami Heat

Pascal Siakam* - Indiana Pacers

Karl-Anthony Towns - New York Knicks

Starters selected from Western Conference:

Stephen Curry - Golden State Warriors

Luka Doncic* - Los Angeles Lakers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander* - Oklahoma City Thunder

Nikola Jokic* - Denver Nuggets

Victor Wembanyama* - San Antonio Spurs

Reserves selected from Western Conference:

Deni Avdija* - Portland Trail Blazers

Devin Booker - Phoenix Suns

Kevin Durant - Houston Rockets

Anthony Edwards - Minnesota Timberwolves

Chet Holmgren - Oklahoma City Thunder

LeBron James - LA Lakers

Jamal Murray* - Denver Nuggets

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