LeBron James' All-Star Streak Sounds Silly, but It's Proof of Greatness

At the risk of painting with a broad brush, no one is going to place too much stock in anything related to an All-Star game. While there can be some appeal to watching those exhibitions, they're little more than a spectacle. That makes it easy to write anything performance-related from those games off; a dominant scoring performance is a lot less impressive when no one is playing defense.

And while it's not exactly the same, LeBron James' recent milestone falls victim to that same perception. While the Lakers star earned another place in NBA history on Thursday night—he's appearing in a record 20th All-Star game, placing him ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who had 19—it's understandable to feel unmoved. All-Star voting is split between fans, players and the media, and that means it's at least partially divorced from on-court realties. Can excellent performances, like those of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, for example, be rewarded? Sure, but once you reach LeBron's level of fame, you've kind of hit critical mass. No one is ever going to not vote for King James as an All-Star.

That perspective is completely valid, but there is something else to note. Buried within this new James record, there is an impressive nugget: The number 20.

As mentioned above, James has made the All-Star game (and started in the contest) for the 20th time in 21 NBA seasons. That not only shows his pop cultural dominance—LeBron has been a star since high school and that spotlight hasn't faded—but, more importantly, it demonstrates longevity. And while being consistent is a bit less exciting than scoring accolades or championship rings, it's still quite the feat.

In the entire history of the NBA, only 10 men have suited up for 20 or more seasons. Yes, two starting lineups worth of players in league history.

James, it goes without saying, is one of them. That puts him in rarified air and is a testament to his devotion to basketball.

Is there some luck involved in avoiding major injuries? Of course. Can you argue that James has the advantages of technology since he entered the league in the early 2000s? Yes. But, by that same token, we know that he takes his health seriously and puts in the work to stay in playing shape.

Beyond that, James has also put together an incredible statistical career. When you can say that averaging 24.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists through 41 games (his 2023-24 numbers through 41 games) is a down year, that tells you something. It's not like LeBron is coasting on his reputation and earning All-Star nods while eating ice cream at the end of the bench; he's averaging a shade over 34 minutes per night as someone who recently turned 39.

Roll that all together, and you've got a genuinely impressive feat, and one that could stand for a long time. The odds of any player lasting 20 years in the NBA are slim, and that narrows the margin for error. You can't ramp your way up and start making All-Star appearances in your fifth year; you have to be a fixture in the game from the start and keep things rolling. And then there's the element of luck. While you can eventually hit critical mass like King James, that comes with time. If you suffer a bad injury in the first half of the season before your popularity can carry you, that's the end of the streak.

Again, that's not to say that the All-Star game appearance record surges to the top of James' resume or pushes him over the top in the GOAT debate. There is an element of popularity involved, and that will always limit the quote-unquote legitimacy of the record. But it shouldn't be thrown in the trash either.

Longevity and consistency might not be as exciting as lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy, but they're key parts of a legendary body of work. And if an All-Star streak is what it takes to give those qualities tangibility, then it's worth praising.