To say that LeBron James is no stranger to the NBA All-Star Game would be an understatement. Team East takes on Team West later on Sunday in the 73rd edition of the game, which has been played yearly since 1951. Every year apart from one, the 1999 game was not held due to the 1998-99 NBA lockout caused by a dispute over the league’s minimum salary.
How many times has LeBron James played in the NBA All-Star Game?
No player has appeared in the All-Star game more than LeBron, who, incredibly enough, is making his 20th consecutive appearance, an outright record. He failed to be selected only once, at the end of his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2004, when he won the NBA Rookie of the Year award. So far, 19 selections and 18 starts match the record set by Kareem Abudl-Jabbar between 1970 and 1989. However, the mathematicians among you will be able to work out that the former LA Lakers center missed one – in 1978.
The format changed from 2018 to 2023, with the top vote leaders for each conference becoming team captains. The All-Star Game has featured Team LeBron, who has faced Team Stephen once and Team Durant twice and is now set to take on Team Giannis for the third time.
One record LeBron doesn’t hold – yet – is that of most MVP awards in the NBA All-Star game. That, though, could all change in the next few hours. James has won the award on three occasions. The first was in 2006 when he became the youngest player to win at 21. He won the award for the second time in three years in 2008 but then had to wait another 10 years to record his third victory in 2018. Unsurprisingly, he was on the winning side on each occasion, and, intriguingly, he has only ever won it as a Cleveland Cavaliers player. That doesn’t bode well for this year...
LeBron hoping to make MVP history
Should LeBron win his fourth MVP award in Indianapolis, he will tie the record set by Bob Pettit, which has stood since 1962 (he also won in 1956, 1958, 1959), and the late, great Kobe Bryant, who was voted MVP in (2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011) before tragic death in 2020.
But Pettit and Bryant both shared the award once, which means LeBron could become the first man in NBA All-Star Game history to win four outright MVP awards.
Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, and LeBron James have each won the award three times, while Bob Cousy, Julius Erving, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, Allen Iverson, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Durant have all won the award twice.
Kobe Bryant and Bob Pettit share the record for the most NBA All-Star Game MVP trophies. They are the only two players to win the All-Star Game MVP four times. LeBron James is right behind the pair, as the Lakers star has won the award three times.
LeBron James holds the record for most All-Star Game selections (20), most consecutive selections (20), most games played (20), and most consecutive games played (20). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is second in overall selections with 19. Kobe Bryant is second in consecutive selections with 17.
Damian Lillard goes off for 39 points on 11/23 3PM to be named the 2024 Kia NBA All-Star Game MVP. Just 24 hours after becoming the first repeat champion in the Starry 3-Point Contest in 16 years, Damian Lillard still had a few 3s left in the tank to unleash during Sunday's All-Star Game.
Contributor. I write about the NBA, primarily through the lens of X's and O's. Nikola Jokic has joined a rarefied group of NBA legends by winning his third Most Valuable Player award.
He was a three-time All-Star MVP -- in 2000 (co-MVP with Duncan), 2004 and 2009 (co-MVP with Bryant). His best All-Star performance was in 2004, when he recorded 24 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals.
Maury Wills (NL) received the first All-Star Game MVP Award when two All-Star Games were played and two awards (Leon Wagner-AL) were presented as the "Arch Ward Memorial Award" in 1962. Brooks Robinson (AL) won the award in 1966, the first of only two times a player from the losing team has won the award.
Both Bill Russell and Michael Jordan won the award five times, while Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James won the award four times. Russell and James are the only players to have won the award four times in five seasons.
He is a four-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), an NBA Finals MVP, an NBA All-Star Game MVP, an NBA Clutch Player of the Year, and the inaugural NBA Western Conference Finals MVP.
Shaq's individual accolades include the 1999–2000 MVP award, the 1992–93 NBA Rookie of the Year award, 15 All-Star game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, three Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles, 14 All-NBA team selections, and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections.
What are all the records LeBron holds? One of his most remarkable achievements is being the first player in NBA history to reach 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 10,000 assists-a feat that is likely to remain unmatched for decades.
Shaq's individual accolades include the 1999–2000 MVP award, the 1992–93 NBA Rookie of the Year award, 15 All-Star game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, three Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles, 14 All-NBA team selections, and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections.
Introduction: My name is Barbera Armstrong, I am a lovely, delightful, cooperative, funny, enchanting, vivacious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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