Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic was named as one of the starters for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, it was announced on NBC and Peacock.
Doncic, along with Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama and Stephen Curry, make up the Western Conference starters, while Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown will represent the Eastern Conference.
Doncic was well on track to be named an All-Star Game starter as he was the leading vote-getter in the previous voting returns and remained that way throughout. Unfortunately, he’ll be the only starter from the Lakers as LeBron James and Austin Reaves missed the cut.
Missed time is what largely prevented James and Reaves from receiving more votes as the former missed the beginning of the 2025-26 season while the latter has been out with a calf injury. Meanwhile, Doncic has been the near-constant for Los Angeles though he has also missed some time due to various nagging injuries.
When on the floor, Doncic has been an offensive juggernaut as he leads the league in scoring with 33.3 points per game. Doncic has looked better than ever, with his improved physique and endurance allowing him to play harder and faster for longer stints.
With the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles this year, there will no doubt be droves of fans who come to see Doncic play. The quality of competition in the All-Star Game has dwindled over the years as players opt to protect their bodies, but Doncic will demand an audience as he’ll surely be looking to put on a show in his first All-Star Game representing the purple and gold in its own city.
There is a new format this year, so Doncic will be playing for the World team against the Americans, hopefully making the game more competitive.
While Luka has been a magician with the basketball this year, it hasn’t always translated to wins for the Lakers. Doncic is often times scoring at an unsustainable pace because the team’s defense is one of the worst-ranked units in the NBA.
Perhaps All-Star Weekend will provide Los Angeles a chance to rest and regroup because right now they look like a team that needs it. Doncic may be one of the few in consideration for MVP this season, but he’ll need to be even better the rest of the way to give the Lakers a shot at contending.
Luka Doncic appreciative of being lead vote-getter for NBA All-Star Game
Doncic is quickly finding out how much Lakers fans support their stars. He was the leading vote-getter for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and he expressed his appreciation for the honor.
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