LeBron James has come under fire after pulling out of the NBA All-Star Game at the last minute.
The 40-year-old Lakers star announced that he would not play in the game due to injury concerns, little over an hour before tipoff in San Francisco.
‘You won’t see anything from me tonight. Unfortunately I will not be in uniform tonight – I’m still dealing with ankle and foot discomfort. So I will not be playing… unfortunately. I hate that,’ James said.
His decision sparked outrage from some NBA fans, who said James should not have left it so late to withdraw and therefore ‘robbing’ someone else of the chance to play.
‘He took a whole spot from someone who always wanted to be in an all-star game,’ one fan said.
Those frustrations were echoed by pundits on TNT including Warriors star Draymond Green. ‘I think (he) could have helped somebody else out and said this earlier,’ he said.
LeBron James has come under fire after pulling out of the NBA All-Star Game at the last minute
James announced on Sunday that he would not play in the game due to injury concerns
‘He took a roster spot from somebody,’ ex-NBA star Jalen Rose added. ‘He has to let it be known earlier.’ Vince Carter, meanwhile, said: ‘There are a lot of guys who are worthy.’
Another supporter branded James ‘crazy’ for his decision and accused him of taking the All-Star Game for ‘granted’.
‘Showing up till Sunday and not playing is crazy,’ they wrote. ‘(You) could’ve informed the team that u might not play so they have a replacement ready. Feel like he taking the all star game for granted.’
Another added: ‘Could have said this earlier. Norman Powell could have made his first All-Star appearance’.
A fourth said: ‘So you couldn’t have said that sooner and gave a younger star a shot??’
James claimed that he was hoping the injury would improve by Sunday. Even after pulling out, the 40-year-old said he is aiming to play for the Lakers on Wednesday.
‘I was hoping it would feel a lot better this morning but it’s not where I want it to be,’ James said.
‘And with 30 games left and us trying to make a playoff push in the wild, wild west, I felt like it was very important for me to take care of myself and understand what’s coming on.
James’ locker was laid out at Chase Center but he didn’t end up playing on Sunday night
‘It is maintenance but at the same time I have to look out for myself when it comes to this injury that I’ve been dealing with for years. So I hope to be available on Wednesday… so I’m headed back to LA tonight. There will be no vacation for me.
‘Back to rehab tomorrow, get ready for practice on Tuesday and hopefully I can play against Charlotte on Wednesday and against Portland on Thursday. It’s a big stretch for us.’
Many of the NBA’s biggest stars have headed to San Francisco for All-Star weekend, including Victor Wembanyama, Stephen Curry and Anthony Edwards.
This year, for the first time, the All Stars have been divided into four teams for a mini-tournament.
James was the first overall pick in the draft for this year’s event. He was selected by Shaquille O’Neal for his team ‘Shaq’s OGs’.
Stars of ‘Inside the NBA’ picked three of the four teams, with Charles Barkley choosing the likes of Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Kenny Smith, meanwhile, loaded his roster with rising stars such as Edwards and Jalen Brunson.
