For the first time since 2004, LeBron James will not start the All-Star Game

LeBron James will not be in the starting lineup for the NBA All-Star Game. This is the first time James has not been named to the starting lineup since 2004. Thus, the Los Angeles Lakers star sees his 21-year streak as a starter come to an end in the most anticipated exhibition event of the season.

With the notable absence of LeBron James, the NBA announced the starters for the All-Star Game, which will be held on Feb. 15 in Los Angeles and will debut a format that will pit the United States against the world.

Fans (50%), players (25%) and a media panel (25%) voted for the starters: five players from the Western Conference and five from the Eastern Conference, regardless of position.

The voting brought with it a big surprise: the end of a streak of 21 consecutive years of the legendary LeBron James being picked in the top 10.

The West has a distinctly international feel, with French prodigy Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs voted into the starting lineup for the first time in his second All-Star Game appearance.

"Wemby" will be joined by reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the champion Oklahoma City Thunder and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.

Slovenian guard Luka Doncic, of the Los Angeles Lakers, and sharpshooter Stephen Curry, of the Golden State Warriors, round out the starting five in the West.

Without LeBron?

In the East, meanwhile, the starters are Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons, Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 10 selected will be joined, as usual, by 14 reserve players then chosen by the All-Star Game coaches for the traditional gala evening.

After not being selected in the starting five for the first time since 2005, the legendary LeBron James will likely be voted into the second-tier group.

But his absence from the starters list, at age 41, sends a signal of the end of an era, in which he became an NBA icon and an all-time great on par with Michael Jordan.

James missed the first 14 games of the season with the Los Angeles Lakers due to sciatica. Since his return, he has averaged 22.6 points per game, with 5.9 rebounds and 6.9 assists.