The starters for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game have been announced and the Los Angeles Lakers are represented as superstar guard Luka Doncic was not only named a starter, but was also the leading vote-getter amongst all players.
Being named an All-Star isn’t anything new for Doncic as this will be his sixth appearance in the game, but he has never been the leading vote-getter. Luka rising to that top spot is another example of the next-level popularity that comes with being a member of the Lakers, combined with his outstanding performance this season.
And for his part, Doncic doesn’t take this honor lightly, as thanked all of the fans who voted for him as an All-Star starter and allowing him to experience this huge achievement, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“I mean, it’s pretty awesome. For me, I don’t take it for granted. I want to thank everybody that voted for me. That’s a big, big achievement for me, so it’s incredible to live this.”
As a kid who grew up loving the game of basketball, Luka is truly experiencing his dreams now, but those dreams don’t stop at the All-Star Game. Of course, Doncic’s ultimate goal is to win an NBA Championship and he made it clear that while it is a great honor, and very fun to play in the All-Star Game, once it’s over, the focus goes back to the Lakers:
“Obviously being an All-Star is an incredible honor. Those three days you can focus on All-Star, but then it’s right back to the team. You’re gonna play with guys you normally play against. It’s kind of fun trying to learn what everybody do before the game, during the game, after the game. But just being an All-Star is a great honor.”
This year’s All-Star Game will be a bit different once again with the Team USA vs. the World format that will see a round-robin tournament featuring two teams of American players and a third international team that Doncic will be a part of.
It will be fun seeing Luka team with the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo. But as he said, once the games are finished and the fun is had, the focus turns back to leading the Lakers to the ultimate goal of an NBA Championship.
Lakers’ LeBron James shouts out Luka Doncic for being named All-Star starter
While Doncic was the leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game, his Lakers teammate LeBron James saw his 21 year All-Star Game starter streak come to an end. But even still, James made sure to shout out Doncic once the announcement became official.
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