Lakers' LeBron James Won't Play in 2025 NBA All-Star Game Due to Ankle, Foot Injuries

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will not play in Sunday night's All-Star Game, per the Associated Press' Tim Reynolds.

James told reporters he's sitting out due to lingering foot and ankle discomfort. A replacement for James won't be named ahead of tipoff, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

James, 40, was set to play in his 21st All-Star Game.

James has stayed mostly healthy this season, playing 48 of the Lakers' 52 games heading into the All-Star Break, though he has dealt with the foot injury throughout the year.

While James' absence will come as a disappointment to fans, the veteran ultimately felt it was best to pull himself out of the game rather than risk further injury to his foot or ankle.

“I have to look out for myself when it comes to the injuries," James said, per Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill.

According to The Los Angeles Times' Dan Woike, James said he hopes to play against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.

James' 21 All-Star selections are the most in NBA history after he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar two years ago. He has been an All-Star every year since 2005.

James, who has won the NBA All-Star Game MVP three times, had the chance to make history on Sunday by winning the trophy a fourth time, something only Kobe Bryant and Bob Pettit have done, but he'll instead have to go for that feat next season—if he is selected for the All-Star Game.

After being ruled out of the All-Star Game, James will shift his focus back to the regular season. He's putting up 24.3 points, 9.0 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game this year, leading Los Angeles to a 32-20 record, which is good for fifth place in the West.

James and the Lakers are still adjusting to a new-look roster highlighted by Luka Dončić, who the Dallas Mavericks traded to Los Angeles for Anthony Davis. The trade for Dončić could be enough to propel the Lakers to an NBA Finals run, which could be a driving factor for why James opted to rest on Sunday.