SAN FRANCISCO – LeBron James wanted to play in yet another All-Star Game. His left foot and ankle didn't let him.
The NBA's career scoring leader announced about 90 minutes before the start of the competition on Sunday that he couldn't play, citing ongoing injury issues. James has been included regularly on the Los Angeles Lakers' injury list this season because of his foot and ankle, which have given him trouble for years.
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For the first time since 2004, the All-Star Game happened without James.
“I hate that,” James said.
James was to play for Shaq's OGs, the team drafted by Shaquille O'Neal for the All-Star competition in this year's new mini-tournament format. James’ first All-Star Game was in 2005 and he’s been a pick every year since, so Sunday’s game would have been his 21st — extending his record. His 21 selections are another record, as is his now-snapped streak of 20 consecutive All-Star starts.
James was not replaced on his All-Star team's roster, meaning it was down to seven players — Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Dallas’ Kyrie Irving, Boston teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard and the Los Angeles Clippers’ James Harden.
“I was hoping that it would feel a lot better this morning, but it’s not where I want it to be,” James said. “And with 30 games left and with us trying to make a playoff push in the wild, wild, West, I feel like it’s very important for me to kind of take care of myself and understand what’s coming on.
“So, I won’t say it’s maintenance, but it is maintenance,” he said. “At the same time, I have to look out for myself when it comes to this to this injury I’ve been dealing with for years.”
James said he planned to return to Los Angeles on Sunday night, with rehab resuming on Monday.
“No vacation for me,” James said.
James’ plan, for now, is to play when the Lakers start their post-All-Star slate Wednesday against Charlotte in a game that had to be rescheduled because of the wildfires that ravaged the Los Angeles area.
“I hope to be available on Wednesday,” James said.
Even without playing Sunday, James — the league’s oldest player, about two months removed from turning 40 — is still getting marveled about.
James is averaging 24.3 points, which is the lowest scoring average at the break of any of his 21 All-Star seasons. That is not to suggest he is slowing down: He’s averaging nine assists per game (the second-best pre-All-Star rate of his career), 7.7 rebounds and is shooting nearly 40% on 3-pointers.
The only players averaging at least 24.3 points, 9 assists and 7.7 rebounds so far this season? James and Denver’s Nikola Jokic.
“It’s 21 All-Star games? It’s mind-boggling,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. “LeBron can go to 25 if he wanted to. He could. You know, we always joke amongst the coaches, every time you play LeBron, you get in LA and you say, ‘This guy keeps getting better. How is this possible?’”
James on the Lakers adding Luka
The Lakers acquired Luka Doncic in a trade with Dallas earlier this month, and James says he's still processing how the league's newest star duo will work.
“Just the excitement of being able to add a caliber player like that, a generational talent like that to our franchise, it’s something that’s given me energy,” James said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do. ... As he continues to get in form, I think we could be really good going down the stretch. But we’ll see what happens.”
No regrets on dunk contest
James was never part of the NBA's dunk contest and doesn't see that changing in the final years of his career.
Some stars — Ja Morant, past dunk champion Zach LaVine and Giannis Antetokounmpo among them — said after Mac McClung's third straight dunk title on Saturday night that they may consider participating in the event.
“There’s no part of me that has regrets about not doing it,” James said. “Obviously, I had a couple moments where I wanted to do it, and it just never worked out that way going into the following season, either because of injuries or I just wasn’t up for it.”
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