LeBron James Breaks NBA All-Star Record with 20th Selection

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers‘ star forward, made history Thursday night by earning his 20th NBA All-Star selection, extending his record as the most-selected player in league history. The 40-year-old James, who surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar‘s previous record of 19 selections last season, will headline the Western Conference starting lineup for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.

James will be joined by Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić, the reigning NBA MVP; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant, who earned his 15th selection; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry; and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. In the Eastern Conference, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo led all players in fan voting for the second consecutive year. He will be joined by Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, and Philadelphia 76ers duo Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

James, who is averaging 23.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 9 assists this season, continues to defy age with his unprecedented production. “It’s an honor to be selected again,” James said after the announcement. “I don’t take these moments for granted.”

Jokić, earning his seventh All-Star nod, is having another MVP-caliber season, averaging 30.1 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 9.9 assists while shooting 56% from the field. Curry, who will play in his 11th All-Star Game, returns to the starting lineup after being a reserve last year. The game will be held at his home arena, the Chase Center in San Francisco.

In the East, Antetokounmpo earned his ninth All-Star selection, while Tatum and Haliburton secured their sixth and second appearances, respectively. The starting lineups were determined through a hybrid voting system, with 50% of the vote coming from fans, 25% from media, and 25% from players.

The seven reserves from each conference will be announced next Thursday on TNT, based on voting by the league’s coaches. This year’s All-Star Game will feature a new format, with 24 All-Stars divided into three teams, and the winning team from the Rising Stars Challenge coaching one of the squads.

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault and Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson will lead the All-Star teams, with their assistants coaching the additional squads. The game is set for February 18 in San Francisco.