LeBron James announced Sunday that he would not play in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game as he continues to deal with discomfort in his left foot and ankle.
The TNT broadcasting crew was disappointed in the Los Angeles Lakers star for waiting so long to make that decision.
The 40-year-old ended his streaking of All-Star Game appearances at 20 with the news. He told reporters that he had hoped to be able to play but decided Sunday morning to skip the event.
“I was hoping it would feel a lot better this morning, but it was not where I wanted it to be,” James said of his ankle.
Reporter: “What will we see from you tonight (the NBA All-Star Game)?”
LeBron James: “You won’t see anything from me tonight. Unfortunately, I will not be in uniform tonight. Still dealing with ankle and foot discomfort.”
(via @957thegame) pic.twitter.com/YKv3OKB4AX
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 17, 2025
The Lakers star also implied that the Lakers’ renewed chances at competing for an NBA title following a trade for Luka Dončić factored into his decision.
“With 30 games left and us trying to make a playoff push in the wild, wild West, I felt like it was very important for me to kind of take care of myself and understand what’s coming on [down the stretch],” he said.
While it’s understandable that LeBron would skip the All-Star Game event due to his injuries, the late timing of the announcement rubbed quite a few TNT broadcasters the wrong way, especially at a time when there’s a lot of concern around ensuring excitement around the new All-Star-Game format.
Draymond Green: “I think [LeBron James] coulda helped somebody else out and said this earlier…”
Vince Carter: “There are a lot of guys who are worthy.”
Jalen Rose: “He took a roster spot from somebody.” #NBA https://t.co/O7qOijgsZN pic.twitter.com/hupGx4NZlT
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 17, 2025
“I think Bron coulda helped somebody else out and said this earlier,” said Draymond Green.
“There are a lot of guys who are worthy,” added Vince Carter.
“He took a roster spot from somebody,” said Jalen Rose.
Green’s fellow broadcasters chided him because he might have received that spot had James opted out earlier, though other NBA players such as Domantas Sabonis and Devin Booker were cited.
The decision and its timing give a lot of red meat to LeBron haters like Skip Bayless, who see the Lakers star as selfish. However, it does sound like James really was trying to make a go of it. How you already feel about LeBron will probably decide how you feel about this, too.
