One of the many criticisms around the 2025 NBA All-Star Game was the notable absence of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, which was a topic of conversation on Tuesday’s edition of Run it Back on FanDuel TV.
Just hours before the start of the new tournament-style All-Star Game format in 2025, James announced that he would not be competing in the event due to a lingering foot and ankle injury.
Players are forced out of the All-Star Game due to injury all the time. But typically, they do so far before the event is actually set to take place, allowing the league to find a replacement for them on their respective roster.
James’ abrupt decision not to play didn’t allow for the league to find a replacement for him. And naturally, it sparked a conversation as to just how badly James wanted to play in the game to begin with. Especially when considering his first game would have been against the Rising Stars Team, who players like Draymond Green have argued have no reason to be playing in the event.
Former NBA player Chandler Parsons seemingly believed that James didn’t want to play against the Rising Stars, calling out the hypocrisy considering how LeBron played a part in getting his own son, Bronny James, into the NBA.
“Here is the problem I have with this in particular when we’re talking about LeBron James not wanting to play against Rising Stars. All these other NBA players have to play against his son because LeBron has kinda put him in that situation. He’s a rising star. So what’s the difference now? He doesn’t want to play against the young guys, but everyone else has to play against his son,” said Parsons.
Michelle Beadle, who of course has a lengthy track record of complaints about LeBron James, applauded Parsons for the take. Meanwhile, Lou Williams viewed LeBron’s absence at the All-Star Game and Bronny James role in the NBA as “completely different.”
“Completely different, completely different,” said Williams.
“How is it different?” said Beadle. “Because those young guys deserve to be there.”
“What is he taking away from anybody?” replied Williams of Bronny. “He isn’t taking away from anybody. Bronny isn’t taking away anything from anybody.”
“But Lou, Chandler is saying the league and players in the league have basically been forced to indulge LeBron’s family dream and have Bronny be there,” replied Beadle. “Which is fine, we have accepted it. It is what it is. But he couldn’t be bothered to give anybody a heads up notice more than 30 minutes before the game starts so that somebody else can be in there. And if it is in fact because you don’t want to play against the Rising Stars, that is a little hypocritical.”
“The problem I have with LeBron James not wanting to play against the Rising Stars is all these other NBA players have to play against his son…
Would he have played if Bronny James was a Rising Star?”@ChandlerParsons doesn’t mince words on Lebron’s Sunday night sit out 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/vTwOL2eji6
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 17, 2025
As Beadle alluded to, there is certainly an argument that another player could have replaced LeBron had he just informed everyone days prior that he would not be competing in the All-Star Game due to his ankle and foot discomfort.
But with that being said, James is not the only player that watched the All-Star Game from the sidelines due to an injury. Anthony Edwards similarly didn’t compete for Team Kenny in the event and was not replaced on his respective roster.
For Beadle and Parsons to critique James for this and not Anthony Edwards is a bit unfair, as is assuming that James decided to sit out because he didn’t want to play against the Rising Stars team.
Regardless, both Parsons and Beadle clearly feel as if James should have suited up since he was in attendance on Sunday night, which is an argument that has been a popular one amongst sports media members.
