There was a conversation that Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James had with Nikola Jokić and Luka Dončić during last year’s All-Star Game that went viral, since microphones picked up the exchange.
The question was about who James played with in his first All-Star appearance.
“It was me, Wilt Chamberlain, Bob Cousy … that was my first All-Star Game back in ’68, I think,” James said.
It was an exaggeration. A slight one, perhaps.
James’ first All-Star Game was in 2005 — not 1968, of course — and he hasn’t missed one since, meaning Sunday’s All-Star event in San Francisco will be his 21st and further extend his all-time record in that department.
“It’s always special and very humbling, and I don’t take it for granted, being an All-Star,” James said. “It’s something that, when I was a kid, I always watched the All-Star Game and I always wanted to be on that floor. It’s always special and I’m pretty happy about it.”
He went over the 70 million mark in career All-Star votes from fans this season (a record), has been the leading vote-getter 10 times (another record) — and those are just the start of James’ long, long, long list of All-Star accomplishments.
James — the oldest current player in the league and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer — will play on the team drafted by Shaquille O’Neal this weekend, along with Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Dallas’ Kyrie Irving, Boston teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard and the LA Clippers’ James Harden.
A look at some of James’ all-star career ranks:
Games played and started — first
This will be James’ 21st All-Star Game selection, two more than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It’ll also be his 21st All-Star appearance, three more than Abdul-Jabbar and six more than Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan.
It also is James’ 21st time that he’s been designated as an All-Star starter (six more than Bryant, who is second on the list). He could technically start two games on Sunday if his team makes the championship game of the new mini-tournament. All 21 of those starts have been consecutive, which is eight more than Bob Cousy’s second-place run of 13 straight All-Star starts.
MVP awards — tied for third
James is a three-time All-Star MVP, tied with Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Oscar Robertson. That’s tied for third on the NBA all-time list: Bryant and Bob Pettit were both four-time All-Star MVPs.
Points — first
This record could stand for a long, long time, especially if this new mini-tournament format where the first-to-40-points team wins continues. James has 434 points in All-Star games, well ahead of No. 2 Bryant (290) and No. 3 Durant (268). Jordan is fourth with 262 and Abdul-Jabbar is fifth with 251.
Among active players, only Durant has scored at least half the points James has managed in All-Star games.
Oldest All-Star — third
James is the second-youngest All-Star — and now he’s about to be the third-oldest as well. Abdul-Jabbar was 41 years, 302 days old when he played in his final All-Star Game in 1989. Dirk Nowitzki was 40 years, 243 days old when he made his farewell appearance in 2019.
James, who turned 40 on Dec. 30, is set to join them as the only 40-somethings to play in the All-Star Game. Jordan was about a week shy of 40 when he played his final All-Star Game in 2003.
Most of … well, a lot of other things, too
He’s the all-time leader in All-Star minutes (537), field goals made (182), field goals attempted (355) and 3-pointers attempted (138).
James’ rank in other stats:
— 3-pointers made, third: He has 41, while Curry has 51 and Lillard has 42.
— Assists, third: He has 113, while Chris Paul has 128 and Magic Johnson has 127.
— Rebounds, sixth: He has 114, while Chamberlain has 197, Pettit has 178, Abdul-Jabbar has 149, Bill Russell has 139 and Duncan has 136.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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