The final tally for the 2023 All-Star votes was revealed on Thursday evening, with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James leading all players and being named captain of the Western Conference. James received 7,418,116 total votes, almost two million more than any of his conference peers.
Out of the West talent pool, he will be joined by Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić, Zion Williamson, and MVP favorite Nikola Jokić in the ‘starting’ group.
For the Eastern Conference, captain Giannis Antetokounmpo is joined by Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, and Kevin Durant.
The starters were chosen by a weighted voting process – fans carried 50% of the votes while NBA players and media outlets contributed 25% apiece.
Reserves for both conferences will be revealed next week, Feb. 2, as head coaches will cast their votes for players to fill out the roster. With the current All-Star format, the conferences won’t exactly matter once the two teams are finalized. Although there will be 12 players representing both the East and West, the captains will select their teams in an All-Star Draft, which was created in 2018 to amplify excitement around the event.
This week, the NBA decided to add more intrigue to the All-Star Draft and give fans what they’ve been calling for: Instead of drafting the teams on national television roughly 10 days before the event, the captains will select their teammates prior to tip-off – on the same night of the game. Not only does this new wrinkle give viewers a spicy experience by supplying a pickup game atmosphere, but it creates more drama for the players as well. Instead of watching the draft on TNT without being next to the other competitors, the players will be standing nearby as a group.
Although the NBA is a massive fraternity and players largely get along without taking anything personally, the new format does open the door for fiery personalities to take over on the court. While it will be good-natured competition, we could see guys with temporary chips on their shoulder once they are picked after certain players.
For James, this is the sixth consecutive year he will lead (and pick) his respective team. He has been named a captain for every All-Star weekend since the league instituted this process.
With this latest honor, he tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 19 total All-Star selections, the most of any player in a single career. It eclipses Kobe Bryant’s 18. Those NBA legends are the only three players with more than 15 All-Star nods.
It’s fitting for James to inch closer to another Abdul-Jabbar record, considering they have been mentioned in the same breath since the beginning of the season. James is only 158 points from surpassing Abdul-Jabbar’s regular season scoring record – a feat that seemed impossible to break due to Kareem’s longevity and sheer dominance in the paint.
This 19th All-Star appearance should put James’ illustrious career in perspective. Aside from the fact LeBron is 38 years old, meaning he’s literally been an All-Star at the highest level for half of his life, we have seen zero signs of monumental decline. Of course, his athleticism isn’t on the same inhuman level it was in 2009 – he set the bar astronomically high in that regard.
His production on the floor, however, is not dipping below “top 10 in the world” territory. Per minute, he’s scoring at the highest rate of his career (29.8 per 36 minutes) while still shooting north of 59% from two-point range. Plus, despite age inevitably causing players to slow down, James is getting to the rim at the same frequency as last year (43% of his shot attempts), and still converting 75% of those looks. It doesn’t matter if everyone on the opposing team knows where he’s trying to go – he remains too strong, talented, and intelligent to stop.
Realistically, with the offseason dedication he exhibits every year and how meticulous his physical training has been, James could maintain All-Star production for another five years. More than likely, he will be the only basketball icon to play at least two decades and be in a situation where hanging it up is a matter of choice, instead of being influenced by injuries.
By the end of his career, James’s case for the greatest player of all time will be crystal clear. It will be the most balanced résumé – between the longevity and a wildly impressive peak – that we’ve seen in the sport.
His popularity in the league and around the world is still evident in year 20, leading all participants in votes as the NBA continues to introduce younger and fresher faces.
James’ reign at the top won’t last forever, but this season should serve as a reminder to appreciate the game’s historical figures while they are still performing.
The NBA’s 72nd All-Star game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 19, in Salt Lake City.
