LeBron James misses NBA All-Star starting lineup for the first time in 21 years

Missing several early-season games prevented the "King" from extending his remarkable streak.

NBA has officially announced the starting lineup for the 2026 All-Star Game in Los Angeles, but the highlight of this list is a historic detail: LeBron James was not included in the starting lineup, ending the superstar’s record streak of 21 consecutive All-Star starts for the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron did not participate in the All-Star game during his rookie season in 2003-2004 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, since then, he has appeared in this special event for 21 consecutive years, always as a starter, becoming one of the most enduring and consistent icons in NBA history. The absence of the "King" from the 2026 All-Star starting lineup marks a clear generational shift in the league.

The reason LeBron lost his starting spot comes from the voting results, where fan votes account for 50% of the total weight, combined with 25% from current players and 25% from the media panel. In the Western Conference, the competition for starting positions included many stars, and ultimately, those selected edged LeBron out of the official starting lineup.

Specifically, the Western Conference starters include center Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets, 8th All-Star appearance), Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers, 6th time), reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs). Notably, Wemby’s spot was directly decided by fan voting in a contest against Anthony Edwards, with the French star winning due to a higher vote count.

In the Eastern Conference, the starting lineup features Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks, 10th All-Star appearance), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons), Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers), and Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics). Antetokounmpo and Doncic led fan voting in their respective conferences.

The NBA All-Star 2026 is scheduled for February 16 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. This year, the format has changed: Team USA will face Team World with a total of 24 players participating, including 16 Americans and 8 international players.