Luka Doncic Reacts to LeBron James' All-Star Selection

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Feb 2, 2026 8:02 AM ET

Luka Doncic and LeBron James failed to lift the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday against the New York Knicks. L.A. played in the seventh game of its current eight-game road trip, which ended in a disappointing 112-100 loss at Madison Square Garden.

Doncic had another big night with a game-high 30 points on 10-of-23 shooting, to go along with 15 rebounds, eight assists and five triples in 37 minutes of action. James had an efficient outing with 22 points on 9-of-15 from the field, while also adding five rebounds, six dimes, a steal and two three-pointers in 35 minutes.

It still wasn’t enough for the Lakers, though. They dropped to 29-19 after Sunday’s loss and are now down to seventh in the Western Conference.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23).Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

James grabbed headlines ahead of Sunday’s tip-off. The NBA announced that the 41-year-old was selected as a reserve for the West All-Star squad. James extended his record to 22 straight years as an All-Star. However, this also marked the first time in his career that the four-time NBA champion was not named a starter.

Doncic will represent the Lakers as a starter, though. The 6-foot-8 guard was voted one of five starters in the conference alongside Steph Curry, Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

When asked to share his thoughts on James’ All-Star selection, Doncic responded with a strong message.

"Of course he deserves it,” Doncic said after Sunday’s game, via Lakers Nation on X. “He's playing at a top level still at his age, it's incredible to share the floor with him."

Doncic and James will be the Lakers’ two representatives for the upcoming 2026 NBA All-Star Game. This year, the new format will feature two U.S. teams and one international team. The three teams will compete in a round-robin tournament.

The festivities will be held at Intuit Dome, the home of the Los Angeles Clippers, on Feb. 15.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: