Overview
- NBA All-Star starters were announced with LeBron James not in the West’s opening five, ending his 21-season run as a starter and drawing comparisons from ESPN’s Marc Spears to Michael Jordan’s 2003 non-start.
- James downplayed the snub in media availability, saying he is fine either way, and he remains eligible for a reserve spot to be selected by coaches, with announcements expected later this week.
- Bronny James received 62,600 fan votes and two player votes despite limited NBA minutes this season, a surprising total that drew widespread attention.
- Former players including Chandler Parsons, DeMarcus Cousins, and Lou Williams criticized the two player votes for Bronny and urged the NBA to make player ballots public.
- The starters were determined by a weighted vote of fans (50%), players (25%), and media (25%), with player ballots notably dispersed across 364 different candidates, including injured or inactive names such as Jayson Tatum.