LeBron James sits eighth in Western Conference All-Star voting despite averaging 21.7 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.4 rebounds this season. This ranking suggests that James is unlikely to perform while wearing an All-Star jersey.
DeMarcus Cousins is upset about the voting result. The four-time All-Star believes All-Star Weekend would feel empty without Lakers King who has been an All-Star 21 straight years.
DeMarcus Cousins Demands LeBron James’ All-Star Spot
Since his second season with Cleveland, Bron has established himself as the fundamental player for the February festivities. For Boogie, breaking that tradition now would damage the entire event’s credibility.
Cousins made his feelings crystal clear on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back.” The panel was discussing whether James deserves another All-Star selection despite missing time with his current injury and health setback.
“It’s LeBron James, man, you have to have him. LeBron James has to be in the All-Star game,” Cousins said on the show. His loud and clear tone left no room for debate.
In fact, James’ recent play supported Cousins’ point. Even with one game off, he maintained his elite-level production. He scored 30 points against the Pelicans, missed the Spurs game, then returned to put up 26 points against the Bucks.
The context matters here. James received just 536,555 votes in the first returns. The second returns showed some improvement, and Bron moved up to eighth among Western Conference players with over one million votes.
But he’s still behind guys like Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, Stephen Curry, Cade Cunningham, Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Brown, and Anthony Edwards.
Seems like the vote panel thinks there are more deserving players this year than James, and it would make no sense to snub those names just to make room for LeBron. But that argument didn’t move Cousins one bit.
“LeBron James has to be an All-Star. I don’t care who misses out; he should be a part of it,” Cousins doubled down. “What’s All-Star weekend like without LeBron James?”
Fan voting likely closes January 14. The top five vote-getters in each conference earn starting spots regardless of position. Fans account for 50 percent of the vote. Players and media split the other 50 percent equally.
James won’t start unless voting takes a massive turn. His only realistic path is getting selected as a reserve by the coaches. Given his status and recent production, that seems inevitable.
Whether coaches agree with Cousins remains to be seen. But Boogie made his view clear: LeBron James should be in San Francisco in February, no debate and no exceptions.
