Veteran forward LeBron James is expected to return to the Los Angeles Lakers lineup during the three-game period between Nov. 18 and Nov. 23, when JJ Redick’s team plays the Utah Jazz twice and the Los Angeles Clippers.
If James hypothetically returns for the Nov. 18 game against the Jazz, it would mean he’d have already missed 14 games this season. This means he’d be able to miss only three more games to maintain eligibility for an All-NBA honor.
The 40-year-old James has made 21 consecutive All-NBA Teams, dating back to the 2004-05 season, which was his sophomore year with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Last year, he became the oldest player ever to be named to Second Team All-NBA.
The late Kobe Bryant made 15 consecutive All-NBA Teams before an Achilles injury snapped his streak in the 2013-14 season.
LeBron James’ Insane All-NBA Streak
It’s improbable that James will miss only three more games this season, given his age and JJ Redick’s proclivity to load-manage his players regularly. On Media Day, Redick said he will be cautious in using James this season due to “22 years of wear and tear.”
“I don’t think there’s a proven way to handle someone who has this much mileage, this many minutes, been asked to do so many things on both ends of the court,” Redick said, via The Athletic’s Dan Woike.
It’s a safe bet that James’ 21-year All-NBA streak will be snapped.
All-Star Streak Also in Danger
While there is no 65-game eligibility for the All-Star team, one wonders if players, coaches and fans may decide against voting for James for the exhibition game.
Per the rules, starters for the All-Star game are chosen by a combination of fans (50%), active players (25%) and media (25%). Even if fans overwhelmingly vote for James — likely due to his popularity — players and media personnel may choose to reward some other forwards and wings around the league who’ve been more available.
James has made 21 consecutive All-Star teams, another streak that started in his second season. Across the four major American sports, only Hank Aaron has sustained a similar streak, making 25 consecutive MLB All-Star teams over 21 years between 1955 and 1975, as the MLB held two All-Star games per year between 1959 and 1962.
Last season, James’ All-Star streak technically ended as he sat out with a last-minute ankle injury. However, the appearance still counted in the NBA almanac.
Kobe Bryant is similarly second on the list of All-Star appearances, making 18 in a row between his sophmore year and final season. However, Bryant got selected in 2013-14 despite playing only six games, as fans accounted for all the voting back then. James may not be afforded a similar fate due to his missed games.
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