In the year 2026, LeBron James, in his 23rd season, is an All-Star, and Kawhi Leonard, in his 14th season, is not. Both have been competitors and have crossed paths in the NBA Finals, yet Leonard certainly deserved James’ spot on the reserves, and the context is more severe when history is taken into account.
Furthermore, this season is the second straight in which James was honored with a selection as a player that the Clippers should have received. Leonard is the most recent star forced into an undesirable position, but last year it was Norman Powell.
The worst part is that if James had made it known in a timely manner that he was not participating in the All-Star Game last season, Powell may have snuck in as an injury replacement. But, for those curious, the NBA legend announced his absence hours before the contest.
This stings for Clipper Nation. All-Star nominations directly yield bragging rights, and unfortunately, fans did not have the opportunity to boast about Powell last season, and will not have the opportunity to do so regarding Leonard this season.
Kawhi Leonard’s performances back up why he was more deserving of an All-Star than LeBron James
LeBron James making his 22nd straight All-Star game draws the narratives, attention, and clicks on social media. His season has certainly been spectacular, and it is great that it was rewarded with an All-Star appearance.
However, side by side with Kawhi Leonard, James’ season has clearly been inferior. The two-time champion is averaging 27.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists, on remarkable 49.6-39.5 shooting splits that only the greatest can achieve at his volume.
Compare that to James, and he wins in points, rebounds, steals, three-point percentage, free-throw percentage, and is tied for blocks.
Leonard has also played four more games before his contest against the Phoenix Suns tonight and has played in all three head-to-heads with the Lakers, winning two of them.
In the standings, James and the Los Angeles Lakers are essentially just three seeds higher. The Clippers are tied for ninth, the Lakers hold the sixth spot, and soon enough, they may be closer in the standings than they are right now, given how LA has been dominating.
That said, James has left Clippers fans in pain on multiple occasions. When the All-Star game comes around, Leonard’s snub will hurt more, as the Intuit Dome's courts will be the host of the event.