LeBron James still plays at an All-NBA level into his 40s. His hard work and dedication have earned him multiple championships, MVP awards, and numerous statistical accolades. He achieved another impressive feat just a few days ago at the 2026 All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.
LeBron James Did Not Plan To Achieve This Special All-Star Record
James and Steve Nash published an episode of their “Mind the Game” podcast on Feb. 17. Nash congratulated the 41-year-old on his 22nd All-Star Appearance, which marks the most in NBA history. James strengthened his lead over Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who earned 19 selections. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar’s 22 selections also hold the record for most consecutive All-Star honors.
James told Nash he certainly wanted to reach All-Star status growing up, but he never had a target number of selections.
Just a kid from Akron. @KingJames shares what being a 22-time All-Star personally means to him.
New episode out now on our Youtube. pic.twitter.com/82XVUCx1qu
— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) February 17, 2026
“[It’s] humbling, and it’s a blessing. Obviously, it was never a goal of mine to have 22 All-Star appearances … I definitely wanted to be in the All-Star game growing up. I would watch the guys play … and it looked like so much fun. Now I’m that guy seeing new All-Stars,” said James.
Jalen Duren, Jalen Johnson, Chet Holmgren, Deni Avdija, Jamal Murray, and Norman Powell made their All-Star debuts this season. They likely watched James compete in the game growing up, and now they share the floor with him.
22 All-Star honors were not a concrete goal for James, but it was bound to happen when factoring in his longevity and production. He holds the NBA’s all-time scoring record at 42,975 points and sits fourth in assists with 11,838. James also sits sixth in steals with 2,384 for his career.
The future Hall of Famer averages 22.0 points, 7.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in his 23rd season. He missed the first 14 games of this season due to sciatica, and many people, including himself, thought it might bother him throughout the season.
However, this has not been the case. James has only missed three contests since he made his 2025-26 debut on Nov. 18. He joked with Nash about his production at his age after the injury.
“For me to still be here, half of me, maybe a little bit more than half, I wish I could have that full week, but there’s also the nostalgic side and the humbleness,” expressed James.
James’ 22nd All-Star appearance reveals a shocking number when talking about his son. Bronny James turned 21 years old on Oct. 6. James has played in more All-Star games than Bronny has been alive. This emphasizes how long James continues to defy Father Time and play at a high level.
