LeBron James voted as All-Star starter for 21st time, extending NBA record

LeBron James has extended his record for All-Star appearances to 21 times as he was named a starter yet again on Thursday.

The starters for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game have been announced and LeBron James will again represent the Lakers. For James, this is All-Star appearance No. 21, extending his own record set last season.

While the longevity of his greatness is undeniable, this year’s fan voting demonstrated that his popularity is declining. For the first time since 2012, LeBron James did not lead his conference in voting. That honor belonged to Nikola Jokic.

LeBron finished second in both fan and player voting and fourth in media voting to finish second overall in weighted score for the front court.

James may not be the most popular player in the league anymore, but his All-Star qualifications are undeniable. This season, he’s averaging 23.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game.

His assist numbers are a team-high and he is second on the Lakers in points and rebounds behind only Anthony Davis.

Speaking of AD, he didn’t make the Western Conference All-Star starters but will very likely be a reserve. He is having one of his best seasons as a Laker, averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game for the purple and gold.

Interestingly, while he finished fifth in fan voting and player voting, he was third in media voting behind only Jokic and LeBron.

This year’s All-Star will look vastly different from previous ones. The All-Star game will not be East vs. West or a team created from two captains selecting players. Instead, it will be a mini-tournament.

The 24 NBA All-Stars will be divided into three teams. TNT’s Inside the NBA commentators Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith will select eight players for their respective teams.

The fourth team will be the winner of the Castrol Rising Stars championship game, the annual showcase of top rookie and second-year NBA players and NBA G League standouts.

So, we’ll see if these changes lead to a more competitive game and an enjoyable product. Regardless, LeBron will be there representing the Lakers and starting his third decade of All-Star action.

His longevity and level of greatness are truly hard to comprehend.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.