Editor's note: an earlier version of this story incorrectly published a full list of potential All-Stars as if they had been named All-Stars. The article has been corrected to reflect the accurate group that was named to the game.
NEW YORK — LeBron James is an NBA All-Star for the 22nd straight season, extending his remarkable streak after the league's coaches voted him into the game as a Western Conference reserve.
The honor, which was announced before the Los Angeles Lakers lost 112-100 to the New York Knicks, was a mild surprise after James missed the first 14 games of the season with a sciatic nerve issue that cost him much of his summer and the entirety of the Lakers' preseason.
"I mean, obviously super humbling. … Mad respect to the coaches and them seeing how I'm still playing at this latter stage of my career," James said Sunday. "And to be able to be an All-Star, that means a lot to my family, my people that's been following my ca reer, my LeBron faithful, that's been following my journey. But it's just, I don't know, man … It's always rewarding just from a humble standpoint to be able to be rewarded for what you put your work into. So, it's pretty cool."
James is the NBA's all-time leader in All-Star Game appearances, starts, minutes, field goals made and attempted and points scored.
"When you think about a star player, their prime is their all-NBA (and) All-Star years. And he's basically had a 20-plus-year prime," Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. "It's unheard of. … It's incredible. It's a testament to the, again, the work that he puts in "
He's averaging 21.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists in his NBA-record 23rd season. He's an unrestricted free agent after this season and said he remains undecided about whether he plans to retire or continue playing.
His spot in the All-Star Game was in doubt after he finished outside the top five vote-g etters for the first time since his rookie season. His teammate, Luka Dončić, led all players in fan voting.
"To be honest, I didn't really think about it. To be honest, it wasn't a goal of mine to come into the season, miss the first 14 games and say, 'OK, I need to be an All-Star,'" James said. "I just wanted to get back to playing the game at a high level. I knew I was capable of it once I kind of worked the rust off of missing preseason, training camp, my summer workouts — which I've never done in my whole career. So, I didn't really even … I didn't think about the All-Star Game, to be honest."
Sunday, James scored 22 points to go with five rebounds and six assists.
"Of course, he deserved it," Dončić said. "He's playing at the top level still at that age, it's incredible to share the floor with. Congratulations to him. He obviously deserved it."
James didn't play in last season's All-Star Game as he used the break to rest and recover from a handful of nagging injuries. It's unclear whether or not he'll participate in the exhibition this year, as well.
James did say Sunday that physically, he feels like his body has responded well to the slow start.
"How I look?," James asked. "(S—),I look pretty good."
The starters were announced last week. Here is the pool of reserves selected for this year's All-Star Game:
(All stats through Saturday's games.)
Eastern ConferenceDonovan Mitchell, Cavaliers: The Cleveland star had a case to start. Regardless, this is his seventh consecutive season being an All-Star. He was his team's steadying presence when the Cavaliers struggled to start the season, and has continued to play well as the Cavaliers have begun to resemble last year's No. 1 seed. He is one of just six players averaging 28 points, five ass ists and four rebounds per game, with the other five all named starters. He is also having the most efficient shooting season of his career.
Jalen Johnson, Hawks: The Atlanta forward looked like he was on this trajectory before a torn labrum ended his season last year in January. Even still, Johnson has surpassed expectations this year, averaging 8.0 assists, placing him fourth in the league. He has eight triple-doubles, trailing only Nikola Jokić. Despite carrying a larger offensive load for the Hawks than earlier in his career, Johnson has a 59.0 true-shooting percentage, a career-best.
Scottie Barnes, Raptors: Barnes is a top candidate for Defensive Player of the year, helping make the Raptors one of the best defensive teams in the league and a pleasant surprise. Barnes is the only player to have 60 blocks and 60 steals this year. While Barnes is not the most efficient scorer, he is a plus offensively, constantly fueling the Raptors' fast-break offense and averagin g 5.6 assists per game. He has also bumped his free-throw percentage up above 80 percent, which has been a key part in the Raptors' excellent record in close games.
Jalen Duren, Pistons: At just 22, Duren has gone from an intriguing young player to one of the most imposing big men in the league quickly. Duren's defensive instincts were questioned often as he developed with the Pistons, but he is at the center of one of the league's best defenses this year. He is a frequent finisher of Cade Cunningham's lob passes, and his offensive rebounding rate hasn't fallen off at all despite playing more minutes.
Pascal Siakam, Pacers: It is hard for anybody to make the All-Star Game from the bottom of the standings. And yet, Siakam deserved a long look, given the steadiness he has brought to the Indiana Pacers, rocked by Tyrese Haliburton's Achilles tear. Forced back into the No. 1 role he filled at the end of his tenure in Toronto, Siakam is still an all-around menace. Most impressively, Siakam has kept his 3-point percentage stable at 37.7 percent, despite not having Haliburton to set him up.
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks: By Towns' standards, he is having an off shooting season, putting him in the crosshairs of a bigger conversation about the Knicks' title chances. He is shooting the worst percentage of his career from inside the arc, and well below the standard he set for himself over the last two years from 3, connecting on just 36.1 percent from deep. That Towns is good for 20 points and 10 rebounds per night in a disappointing season reveals how talented he is. He has improved his frequency and accuracy from the free-throw line, helping make up for his struggles from the field.
Norman Powell, Heat: At 32, Powell somehow just keeps getting better. Powell flirted with candidacy for the game last year with the Clippers, but has improved on that this season, cementing himself as one of the best high-volume shooters in the league. H e is at or near career highs across the board, with a 47.2/39.2/84.4 line from the field, 3-point range and the free-throw line. Among guards taking at least 15 field-goal attempts per game, only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Austin Reaves, Steph Curry, Anthony Edwards, Jamal Murray, Donovan Mitchell, Luka Dončić and Keyonte George have a higher true-shooting percentage than Powell.
Western ConferenceAnthony Edwards, Timberwolves: There was no doubt Edwards would earn his fourth consecutive All-Star berth. There were six realistic candidates to be named starters in the Western Conference, and Edwards drew the short stick. He is third in the league in scoring, averaging 29.4 points per game. He is up to 40.9 percent shooting from 3, making this the most efficient scoring season of his career.
Kevin Durant, Rockets: Whatever you think of Ime Udoka's rotations, that the 37-year-old Durant is third in the league in minutes per game is incredible. Durant, now a 16-time All-Sta r, has been everything the Rockets could have hoped for when they acquired him in the offseason. Durant is averaging 26.2 points per game on 51/40.5/88.6 shooting from the field, 3 and the free-throw line, respectively. The Rockets' offense is about 6.5 points per 100 possessions worse when he is on the bench compared to when he plays. This has been vintage Durant.
Jamal Murray, Nuggets: Despite being the second-best player on a championship team and having recorded six 40-plus-point playoff games in his career, the 28-year-old guard had never made an All-Star Game until this year. After a dip in production, Murray has responded with one of the best shooting seasons of his career. Hitting 44.7 percent of his 3s, he leads all players attempting at least six 3s per game. He is averaging a career-best 7.4 assists per game, and upped his per-game averages to 27.8 points and 8.3 rebounds while Nikola Jokić was out of the lineup, helping the Nuggets stay near the top of the stand ings.
Deni Avdija, Trail Blazers: It has been a breakout season for Avdija, who was already making Washington's trade of him look bad last year. Making approximately the league-average salary, Avdija is averaging 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. The other players averaging at least 25/7/6: Nikola Jokić and Luka Dončić. With Scoot Henderson out for the whole season thus far and Jrue Holiday injured for a big chunk, Avdija has had to shoulder a massive offensive load. The Blazers have the equivalent of a top-10 offense when he plays and the equivalent of the worst offense in the league when he sits.
Chet Holmgren, Thunder: The Thunder have had the best defense (not to mention the best record) in the league for the whole season, and Holmgren, a first-time All-Star, has been a huge reason why. Opponents are shooting just 49.1 percent when Holmgren contests a shot within six feet of the basket, making him one of the most daunting rim-protectors in the league. With 88 total blocks, he trails only Jay Huff and Victor Wembanyama. With Jalen Williams missing most of the season, Holmgren has also had to adopt a bigger role on offense, and he has responded with his most efficient shooting season to date.
Devin Booker, Suns: In his 11th season, all with the Suns, Booker is the star at the center of one of the league's best stories. Although he is currently having the worst 3-point-shooting season of his career, it is clear how much Phoenix needs him. The Suns outscore their opponents by 4.6 points per 100 possessions when he is on the floor and only 0.8 when he is off. Averaging 25.4 points per game, Booker is getting to the free-throw line more often than ever before in his career, helping the Suns' offense keep pace with teams with more prolific lineups. This is Booker's fifth All-Star appearance.
LeBron James, Lakers: There was some doubt if James would earn a spot and make his 22nd consecutive All-Star Game. James missed the first 14 games of the year with sciatica, and his per-game statistics are as low as they have been since his rookie season. Of course, that is the argument for James: At 41, he is averaging 21.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game, and the Lakers are clinging to a top-six seed. James is now three All-Star appearances ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who is second at 19.
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