The NBA All-Star is a prestigious honor for every player, and the best part is that the voting is extremely democratic, with fans, analysts, and even players having a say in the selections every season. However, apart from the snubs from the starters list, there were also some questionable names in the mix, including Los Angeles Lakers star Bronny James.

As many as two NBA players voted for Bronny to be an All-Star starter, sending netizens and analysts into a frenzy on social media as they began speculating who those two players could be. In the recent episode of the ‘Run it Back’ podcast, former NBA legends like DeMarcus Cousins, Chandler Parsons, and Lou Williams were also flabbergasted by the two votes that Bronny received.

Parsons made a strong statement by asking the NBA to ‘make the ballots public’. “If you want to look like a fool and vote for Bronny James, put your name on it. Do you know how embarrassing it would be if it came out that LeBron did that?” Parsons said. While Cousins believed it was Bronny and LeBron.

This outcome reflects a familiar pattern in NBA All-Star voting. Role players tend to receive only a handful of endorsements from the league’s 386 players, whose ballots make up 25% of the starter selection, alongside 50% fan voting and 25% media voting.

Alex Caruso is a clear example of this dynamic. In 2026, he received 10 player votes (44th overall) and has historically ranked well in fan voting due to his popularity, even without eye-popping statistics. Similar fan-driven surges have occurred before, most notably with Zaza Pachulia, who once drew more than 800,000 fan votes and came close to starting.

The 2026 results show this pattern repeating across the ballot. Jay Huff collected 11 player votes, Christian Braun received 16, and even an injured Jayson Tatum picked up a single vote. Altogether, players nominated 364 different candidates, showing how widely dispersed these votes are.

The entire Bronny James saga actually puts LeBron James’ historic snub from All-Star starter on the back burner. The 41-year-old received a rude awakening when the NBA released the names of the 10 starters, and his wasn’t among them. It brought an end to LeBron’s 21-year streak of starting in the NBA All-Star Game.

Last time he wasn’t named as a starter was back in his second season in the league.

LeBron James could still be in this year’s All-Star Game

All is not lost for LeBron James, who has done reasonably well in his record 23rd NBA season. He broke Vince Carter’s record of featuring in 22 seasons of the NBA. The 41-year-old could still make it to the All-Star Game as a reserve, which is decided by the coaches in the league.

However, some fans believe that he could gain a starting spot if there’s any injury concern among the starters.

Overall, LeBron has had a rocky season until now, as he missed the start of the season for the first time in his career due to injury, as his sciatica issues continue to slow him down.

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His output has also gone down, while his role is also diminishing. Luka Doncic has taken up the mantle as the face of the Los Angeles Lakers, while Austin Reaves has also elevated his game to a great level. This has led to him being the third wheel at the Lakers right now.

Despite that, he has put up decent numbers for the season, averaging 22.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest across 24 games. While the numbers are good for a 41-year-old player, these are his worst points average in his career, barring the rookie season. His 1,297-game streak with at least 10 points came to an end last month.

Overall, LeBron James is still the same legendary figure on the court and also in the Lakers’ dressing room. His presence surely changes the dynamics of the team as they aim to elevate themselves as a contender for the title.

However, there’s still a strong possibility that the veteran will be an All-Star reserve player given his impact, output, and longevity.