Lakers’ Luka Doncic Earns All-Star Game Starting Spot as LeBron James Awaits His Chance
Luka Doncic Named NBA All-Star Starter for Sixth Time
Los Angeles, CA—Lakers guard Luka Doncic has been selected as a Western Conference starter for the NBA All-Star Game, marking a significant milestone as he becomes the 15th player in league history to earn six All-Star selections before the age of 27. This year, Doncic garnered the highest number of votes among all players, with 3,402,967.
Leading up to the All-Star Game, Doncic has been in extraordinary form, topping the league in scoring with an impressive average of 33.3 points per game. He also ranks fourth in assists, delivering 8.6 per game while shooting 46.4% from the field, including 33.7% from beyond the arc. This marks his fifth consecutive year as a starter in the All-Star lineup.
Joining Doncic as Western Conference starters are Stephen Curry from the Golden State Warriors, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, and Victor Wembanyama from the San Antonio Spurs.
In the Eastern Conference, the starters include Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, who received the second-most votes league-wide (3,218,390), along with Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, Jalen Brunson from the New York Knicks, Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons, and Tyrese Maxey from the Philadelphia 76ers.
The selection process for the All-Star Game incorporated votes from fans, players, and media, all aimed at filling specific positions on each roster.
While Lakers forward LeBron James was not named a starter this year, he remains eligible for selection as a reserve when coaches announce their picks later this month. James holds the record for the most All-Star game starts, with 21 selections, including eight as a member of the Lakers.
Despite missing the initial 14 games of the season due to a sciatica injury, James has returned to compete at a high level, currently averaging 22.6 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.9 rebounds in his record 23rd season.
Additionally, Lakers guard Austin Reaves had been performing at an All-Star caliber before a left calf strain sidelined him for the last 12 games. He recorded career-high averages of 26.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 5.2 rebounds, with shooting percentages of 50.7% from the field and 36.5% from three-point range.
The All-Star Game is scheduled to take place on February 15 at the Intuit Dome, the home arena of the Los Angeles Clippers. This year’s event will feature a new format, replacing traditional East vs. West matchups with a three-team tournament structure. The tournament will consist of two U.S. teams and one international team, totaling 24 selected players. Doncic, being from Slovenia, is set to represent the world team in the competition. Teams will engage in a round-robin format, with the top two advancing to a final championship game.
