'Ageless' LeBron James extends his All-NBA appearance record Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander top of list
![Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has been named in an All-NBA team for the 20th time. (AP PHOTO)](https://images.thenightly.com.au/publication/C-14765028/b950cd57e76ec57ec8e63aa79b00eece0fe8bcb2-16x9-x0y0w1280h720.jpg?imwidth=810)
LeBron James is now the youngest and the oldest player to make an All-NBA team.
And Dallas star Luka Doncic and Oklahoma’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are in position to make about $US1 million ($A1.5 million) per game a few years from now.
Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander were the only unanimous first-team selections on this season’s All-NBA team, which was revealed on Wednesday night (Thursday AEST).
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.They were joined on the first team by Doncic, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Boston’s Jayson Tatum.
On the second team are New York’s Jalen Brunson, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, the LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard and James’ Lakers teammate, Anthony Davis.
The third team had James, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis, Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton and Phoenix’s Devin Booker.
The NBA changed the rules this season and All-NBA voting is now positionless - as opposed to having two guards, two forwards and one centre on each of the teams, a formula that had been in place since the 1950s.
Players also had to appear in a minimum number of games, in most cases, to be eligible for award consideration from the panel of 99 broadcasters and writers who served as the voting panel.
For James, who was the youngest player to make All-NBA when he was voted on to the team for the 2004-05 season, another selection only added to his list of accomplishments.
The 20 All-NBA overall picks extended his record, a total that’s now five more than Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
His 20 consecutive selections is obviously another record, and he is the first player to be aged 39 or older during what became an All-NBA regular season.
James, the NBA’s career scoring leader, played in 71 games this season, the last 42 of those coming after he turned 39.
For Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander, the All-NBA nods mean they are poised for massive extensions that can be signed in 2025, both of which would set records.
Doncic can sign a five-year deal worth about $US347 million ($A523.8 million), starting at nearly $US60 million ($A90.6 million) in 2026-27 and ending at about $US79 million ($A119 million) in 2030-31.
Gilgeous-Alexander will be eligible to sign a four-year extension worth about $US294 million ($A443.9 million). His would start in 2027-28 at about $US65 million ($A98 million) and the final year, 2030-31, would see him earning just over $US81 million ($A122 million), or nearly $US1 million per game. It would be the first time an NBA player’s annual salary has topped $US80 million.