LeBron’s All-NBA Streak Faces Its Toughest Test Yet
So, here’s what’s going on with LeBron James right now, and honestly, it might be one of the most underrated stories of his entire career. We’re talking about a streak so impressive that most fans barely even realize it’s happening — and yet it might be on the verge of ending, not because LeBron has slowed down, but because the rules have changed around him.
This all starts with that moment on Nov. 18, when LeBron finally made his season debut against Utah after missing the first 14 games due to sciatica. Midway through the third quarter, he hit a simple layup — nothing flashy, just a clean cut to the rim after a well-executed back screen from Austin Reaves and a give-and-go with Luka Dončić. But that layup mattered. It pushed him into double digits, keeping alive his historic streak of scoring 10 or more points in every game for more than 18 years — 1,294 games and counting. That streak alone feels unreal.
But there’s a bigger streak hanging in the balance, one that speaks even louder about his longevity. LeBron has been named to an All-NBA team for 21 straight seasons. Nobody else in league history has even come close. He’s been selected through multiple eras, through rule changes, through ballot format changes, and even through evolutions in the award itself, which has gone from plaques to crystal trophies. He’s outlasted four U.S. presidents while doing it.
And now? That streak is suddenly at risk. Not because he can’t perform at an All-NBA level — he absolutely still can — but because of the NBA’s new 65-game minimum to qualify for any major award. Since LeBron already missed 14 games, he can only miss three more for the rest of the regular season. The Lakers still have 65 games left … and 11 back-to-backs.
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For a 41-year-old superstar dealing with back issues, that’s a brutal math problem.
Even LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, basically said he hopes LeBron isn’t playing back-to-backs at this age. But the tension is real: if he rests, he risks losing the streak; if he plays everything, he risks his body and the Lakers’ playoff hopes.
What complicates things even more is the question nobody truly knows the answer to: Is this LeBron’s final season? Some around him say he hasn’t decided. If there’s even a chance this is his last ride, he may feel a responsibility to be available every night — not just for the streak, but for fans, teammates, and the possibility of one more deep playoff run.
And make no mistake, the Lakers need him. Even with Luka Dončić emerging as the franchise’s new gravitational force, LeBron’s presence is still enormous. He may no longer be the unquestioned No. 1 option, but the team still orbits him in so many ways.
So the question becomes: Can he play 65 of the next 68 games? And beyond that, can he play well enough to still be considered one of the league’s 15 best players at age 41?
If he pulls that off, it might be one of the most remarkable achievements of his entire career — and that’s saying a lot for someone who has rewritten the record books for two decades.
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