We do not blame LeBron James for bailing on the NBA All-Star Game. There are so many better things to do than play in a basketball game which does not count in the standings. Lakers fans will probably be upset, as well as basketball fans as a whole, but I can't say this enough – LeBron does not care, nor should he.
James is one of the best players in the NBA, and certainly the best draw the league has to offer. James revealing his decision just less than an hour before opening tip-off is not ideal, but LeBron also owes the NBA...nothing at all. I checked!
LeBron James announces that he will not play in tonight’s NBA All-Star Game due to ankle and foot issues. pic.twitter.com/UKgk1FGiEv
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) February 16, 2025
LeBron playing would have done the league more harm than good down the stretch. The NBA All-Star Game itself is in a slow decline, though not yet at Pro Bowl status. The score of the game will be 200-190, because that is how the All-Star Game in basketball works.
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Why isn't LeBron James playing in the NBA All-Star Game?
James choice is understandable and probably worth hearing out, but it also speaks to just how far the NBA All-Star Game has fallen. In an ideal world, James would play despite a minor ankle injury. Yet, if we stop pretending the NBA All-Star Game isn't the Pro Bowl, one might understand why James would pass at this opportunity. There is still half a season to play, and James' Lakers are right in the middle of the postseason chase.
James is old. I mean really old. The 40-year-old is one of the key members of the fifth-seeded Los Angeles Lakers. If he is dealing with an actual injury – which we can only hope is the case – LeBron has every reason to skip the All-Star Game.
Basketball fans are tired of stars making a mockery of All-Star weekend. We get it, as the three-point shooting contest, slam dunk contest and skills competitions are jokes. The slam dunk contest in particular was won by a G League player for the third season in a row.
Why would the All-Star Game be any different? Yes, ideally James would play, but that is not how the league works. Frankly it is one of the flaws of a midseason All-Star Game. We can only hope James is heavily featured despite his absence.