Zach Lowe tried to thread the needle with his latest LeBron James take, but instead, he ended up giving Los Angeles Lakers fans a good laugh. Saying LeBron should still be an All-Star while also claiming he is no longer one of the 12 best American players is one of those arguments that sounds smarter than it actually is.
On The Zach Lowe Show, Lowe said, “Is LeBron one of the 12 best American players?… I just think that’s not true anymore,” adding that it’s “not even arguable.” At the same time, he admitted James should still make the All-Star Game, just not because of his on-court play. Lowe hinted that LeBron’s selection would come down to his name and legacy rather than performance. That is where the logic falls apart.
For the first time in 22 seasons, LeBron James did not earn a starting All-Star spot through fan voting, finishing eighth in the Western Conference with just over 1.8 million votes. His teammate, Luka Doncic, led the conference, with Anthony Edwards narrowly ahead of James. While the result was surprising, it hardly signals a player coasting on reputation alone.
All-star by name only? Not so fast
Love him or hate him, LeBron is still producing at an All-Star level. In his 23rd NBA season, he is averaging 22.5 points, six rebounds, and seven assists per game. The Lakers are 26–16, fifth in the West, and James has appeared in 25 of the team’s 42 games.
Over his last 19 games, his play has actually improved. During that span, he has averaged 25.2 points per game while shooting 53.4 percent from the floor.
Lowe’s stance on this situation seems rooted in a broader truth. The league is younger, faster, and loaded with elite American talent. That is fair. The problem with that isthe All-Star Game has never been a strict ranking of the top 12 players by age curve or future projection. It is about impact in the current season, and LeBron clearly still has it.
History supports that idea. NBA legends have been selected long after their statistical peaks because they continued to matter. The difference with LeBron is that he has not faded into a secondary role. He remains a central piece on a winning team. So when Lowe frames LeBron’s All-Star case as purely symbolic, Lakers fans can’t help but laugh.