LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, has sparked debate across the NBA world with his recent remarks, and he doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. In the recent episode of his Game Over podcast with Max Kellerman, the high-profile player agent gave a hot take on LeBron James’ All-Star selection this season.
King James’ 2025-26 season has not looked substandard by any standard, given it’s his 23rd in the league. Even then, he is averaging the lowest points per game since his rookie season in Cleveland (22.4). James’ agent, Rich Paul, discussed his chance of making the All-Star lineup and how fans see his season. He said:
“Well, here is the case in LeBron’s case, I don’t wanta charity case for him. If his numbers are good to be an All-Star reserve, if he is not a starter… then let him go on vacation and charge up for the second half of the season. But if his numbers is good enough, the All-Star game is in LA… It’s the biggest weekend.”
While Paul pushed the idea that James eventually play the All-Star game, the controversy around his absence from the game last season also came into discussion. The 4-time NBA champion missed the All-Star game last season due to an injury, and the news was shared two hours before the game.
Some fans and analysts believed that if the league had been informed earlier, someone like Norman Powell could have played his first All-Star game. LeBron James ranked eighth after the second round of voting was revealed by the NBA. He is almost certain to make the 12-man roster. But whether he will make the starting lineup can be debated.
Can LeBron James miss starting the All-Star game?
LeBron James has a record 21-time All-Star game selection in his career. However, a player accustomed to seeing his name at the top of All-Star voting ranked eighth after the second round of voting. That marks another moment of changing the guard in the league.
However, fans’ votes constitute 50% of the weightage in selecting the starters. NBA players (25%) and a media panel (25%) also vote for the lineup.
The names that rank before the King feature some of the strongest youngsters in the Western Conference. Whether it’s Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, or Deni Avdija, all have shown a championship pedigree in their respective teams.
Luka Doncic, leading the NBA in points, also leads the All-Star voting, which more or less explains James’ decrease in production. The Slovenian has taken the command of the Lakers’ offense perfectly, which means less ball-handling for James in the majority of plays.
Even then, LeBron James has stepped up whenever the team needed him. His court awareness and basketball IQ make him one of the best to ever do it.
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