Does LeBron James deserve to be an All-Star in 2023? Another record chase for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Lebron James I turned 38 on December 30, but at an age in which few legends of his nba have managed to continue to shine, his player Los Angeles Lakers he continues to be a benchmark in the league for his talent.

LeBron leads the 2022-2023 Lakers in scoring with 27.8 points per game to which he adds 8.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.1 steals, all while shooting nearly 50% from the field.

These are numbers of excellence They could even put a player up for MVP consideration.: LeBron took home his fourth and final MVP in the 2012-2013 season with 26.8 points, 8 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.7 steals averages and 56% shooting from the field, nothing too far from his current in 2.2 more minutes per game, better surrounded and 10 years younger.

However, the lousy gift from the Lakers torture, with barely 14 wins in 35 starts (The record is 11-16 with LeBron and 3-5 without him) and with the Angels in 13th place in the Western Conference, currently five games out of the playoff spot, the King He is not among the candidates for this award.

Aside from winning with his team, the real priority for him, there are two things LeBron James can pursue right now. Kareem-Abdul Jabbar’s all-time scoring recordwhich is 574 degrees from matching, and 19th All-Star Game nominationwhich would also tie a Kareem record.

LeBron seems like a pretty safe All-Star name to be held in Utah: since the 2004-2005 season, his second year in the NBA, which was selected as a starter by vote of the fans (only this until 2016), the press and his colleagues, and nothing shows that this will change in 2022-2023 since it has six years in a row he is the player most voted by the public.

Now, it’s really worth it in a season in which His team is among the six worst in the NBA?

Does LeBron James deserve to be an All-Star in 2023?

Among the players eligible for the front court of the Western Conference, the only two-time MVP Nikola Jokic appears clearly above LeBronwith his spectacular stats and undeniable rise to a 22-12 record that has the Denver Nuggets leading the Western Conference.

The youngster sion Williamsonso far only an All-Star in 2021, he could also have his arguments over the King with 22-12 New Orleans Pelicans like Denver, while Paul Georgethe injured Anthony Davis, Domantas Sabonis either Lauri Markkanen They have made their undoubted advantages, but not so much more than what James contributes.

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FiveThirtyEight’s Raptor metric says Jokic is the best player in the West at 9.5, and among forwards and centers he’s followed by Anthony Davis at 5.2, Sabonis at 4.4, George at 4.1, Markkanen at 4.0, Williamson at 3.3 and James at 3.2.

Of Andrew Wiggins, Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green and Karl-Anthony Towns, All-Stars in 2022, only Green appears above 2.5 (2.7 for him), and both the Warriors and Timberwolves collect also bad results in it. campaign.

When it comes to picking the top 12 players in the West this season, you draft a lot of guards (Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, Cy Gilgeous-Alexander, Ja Morand) and division of six players from the back court and six from the front court It seems to be the best and the criteria used for the West from 2020 (in 2019 they chose five and seven).

With so many spots, LeBron is certainly in line, but how he does in the remaining games in January, many of them without Anthony Davis, may depend on whether he deserves to be an All-Star this season.

James is average beast 31.8 points, 7.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds after AD went down with injury (six games already), with 55.6% shooting from the field and clear room for improvement: three point shotwhich fell in a very poor accuracy of 21.9%. in this stretch. currently, This LeBron doesn’t end up on the Lakersgoing 2-5 since the AD release (James didn’t play in the loss to the Phoenix Suns) and three losses by 14 or more points.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Record That LeBron James Can Reach In 2023 NBA All-Star Game

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar He is the only basketball player in NBA history who was 19-time All Star Game nomineean event that was created in 1951 and has been held almost non-stop ever since (only stopping in 1999 due to the lockout).

Kareem made his All-Star debut in 1970;, at the age of 22 and as a rookie. Since then, he was unlisted only in the 1977-1978 season, in which he broke his right arm punching Kent Benson and missed nearly two months of action. Bill Walton (MVP that season), Bob Lanier and Artis Gilmore, three other Hall of Famers, were selected over Kareem, who was then the reigning MVP.

All 18 of LeBron James’ All-Star nominations are in for now tied with Kobe Bryant’s 18. Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Shaquille O’Neal round out the top five with 15 each.

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