This Sunday, the NBA All-Star Game will be held in San Francisco, featuring a new format that introduces a small tournament with two phases, involving four teams. For Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, this marks his 21st appearance in the event, and with his career winding down, he expressed his heartfelt thoughts.
“There ain’t going to be that many times left,” James said during an interview with ESPN‘s Dave McMenamin. “So you take it all in and you don’t take it for granted,” he added. “It’s coming to an end soon.”
James was not only referring to his own participation in the All-Star Weekend but also to the opportunity to share the court with other league legends such as Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. Together, the trio has dominated the NBA for the past 15 years, with time beginning to catch up to them.
At 40 years old, Lakers‘ LeBron James is currently the oldest active player in the NBA, just ahead of San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul and Charlotte Hornets forward Taj Gibson. Curry and Durant, both 36, are also among the 20 oldest players in the league, although they still likely have a few more years at the top level of competition.
LeBron, Durant, and Curry together again
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry have been at the center of some of the NBA’s most unforgettable matchups in the past decade, especially during the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. Despite their fierce rivalry, the trio has had some memorable moments together.
One such moment came at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where the three of them played for Team USA and helped secure a gold medal. For James, it was his third Olympic gold medal (he also has a bronze), KD earned his fourth, and for Steph, it was his first.
The NBA veterans’ team
The revamped All-Star Game format required players to be divided into different teams, selected by NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith. However, it seems the team selection may have followed a certain pattern.
“You got the international players versus the older players, excuse me, the more veteran All-Stars…And then you have the younger All-Stars… Coincidentally, it doesn’t seem planned at all,” noted New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson recently on The Roommates Show podcast. His observation certainly appears to hold some truth.
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry will all be part of Shaquille O’Neal’s team, alongside other prominent NBA stars, including Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Damian Lillard, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum. Their semifinal matchup will be against the Rising Stars team, led by San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle.