Luka Doncic Leads Votes, LeBron James Ends Streak

Merlin sees the All-Star crown slipping from LeBron James this year. Fan voting, tied to present production, has LeBron eighth in the West and 13th overall with 1,059,855 votes while Luka Dončić leads at 2,229,811. LeBron has played just 18 of 35 games, is being load-managed, and is no longer the Lakers' gravitational center. "Starters should and usually are chosen for what they're doing in real time, not what their basketball obituary will say." Merlin notes the league now favors younger, fresher stars who play heavy minutes and grab attention on League Pass. Names like Dončić, Jokić, Wembanyama, Shai, and Edwards are doing more in the moment. LeBron’s legacy is untouchable and he can still chase rings, but the All-Star Game is a snapshot of now, and the snapshot no longer points to him as a starter.