Historic Streak Over: LeBron Denied All-Star Start

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers has been left out of the NBA All-Star starting lineup for the first time since 2004, ending a record 21-year run as a starter. This follows his absence from the 2025 All-Star Game due to injury, which was the first time he was selected but did not play.

The starters for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game were determined by a voting system where fan votes accounted for 50%, current NBA players' votes for 25%, and a media panel's votes for the remaining 25%. James faced a challenging path to being voted a starter after a disrupted start to the season, missing the first 14 games due to sciatica and struggling to regain his rhythm upon return.

Despite not being selected as a starter, James remains eligible for selection as a reserve. The final seven reserve players from each conference will be chosen by NBA coaches, with the selections announced on February 1.

The 2026 All-Star Game, which will debut a US vs. World format, is scheduled for February 15 at the Los Angeles Clippers' home arena. The Western Conference starters named are Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs).

#2026NBAAll-StarGame#USvs.WorldFormat#2026All-StarStartersAnnouncement#21-yearAll-StarStarterStreakEnded#StephenCurry