For the first time in his professional career, an NBA season will end without LeBron James being eligible for All-NBA honors. The Los Angeles Lakers announced that the veteran forward will be sidelined for the team's upcoming matchup against the San Antonio Spurs, a move that officially drops him below the league-mandated 65-game threshold for postseason awards.

The decision brings a definitive end to James’ record-breaking streak of 21 All NBA selections, the most in league history. Despite playing at an elite level in his 23rd season, he will not be able to extend that record to 22, regardless of his statistical output.

The eligibility concerns began early in the campaign when James missed the first 14 games while recovering from an injury that kept him out of training camp. While he has remained largely healthy since that initial stint, the Lakers have been careful with his workload. 

The disqualification is particularly notable given that James is still producing at a high level. Through 34 games, he is averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.7 rebounds. These numbers traditionally place him firmly in the conversation for an All-NBA slot, but the participation policy implemented during the 2023-24 season leaves no room for exceptions based on veteran status or production.

This season has seen several of the game's historic marks associated with James fall. Earlier this year, his long-standing double-digit scoring streak ended during a victory over the Toronto Raptors.