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The NBA All-Star Game is always a good celebration of NBA talent. It has also been a moment to celebrate the league's history on several occasions, and the event has relevance for fans, players, and the media. With that in mind, we list the 10 players with the most appearances in the NBA All-Star Game.
The top 10 players with the most NBA All-Star Game appearances
NBA All-Star weekend also involves events such as the dunk contest and three-point shootout. Performing in the NBA All-Star Game represents something huge for many players, and a snub from the event can even prompt bad reactions from NBA athletes.
We consider NBA All-Star selections instead of the NBA All-Star Games played by a player during his career.
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With that in mind, we rank the 10 players who enjoyed the most NBA All-Star selections in league history.
Without further ado, let us start.
#10 Dirk Nowitzki - 14 NBA All-Star selections
Dirk Nowitzki played 21 years in the NBA and became one of the greatest power forwards in league history.
He played his entire career with the Dallas Mavericks (1998–2019) and earned 14 NBA All-Star selections. Nowitzki led Dallas to the 2011 NBA championship and was named Finals MVP that season,
Nowitzki also won the NBA MVP award in the 2006-07 season.
The German forward ranks sixth in total points in NBA history with 31,560 points.
Beyond his 14 NBA All-Star selections, Nowitzki also earned All-NBA recognition 12 times.
Nowitzki played in each of the 14 NBA All-Star games of his career and was named a starter twice.
#9 Karl Malone - 14 NBA All-Star selections
Karl Malone played 19 years in the NBA and earned 14 NBA All-Star appearances.
Malone, who played 18 seasons with the Utah Jazz and one with the LA Lakers, also won two regular season MVP awards. The Mailman ranks second in total points scored in NBA history, with 36,928.
He played in the league from 1985 to 2004 and earned 14 All-NBA selections and four All-Defensive selections.
Moreover, he was named MVP of the NBA All-Star game twice (1989 and 1993).
Even though Malone was selected to 14 NBA All-Star games, he played in 12. He missed the 1990 and 2002 editions of the All-Star Game.
Malone started eight NBA All-Star Games in his career.
#8 Michael Jordan - 14 NBA All-Star selections
Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest player in NBA history, and he was stellar in the NBA All-Star Game, too.
His Airness received 15 NBA All-Star selections during his legendary NBA career. Jordan played 15 NBA seasons from 1984 to 2003 (he did not play in the NBA from 1993 to 1995 and 1998 to 2001).
Jordan played in 13 NBA All-Star Games (he missed the 1986 edition with an injury) and was a starter each time.
MJ won the NBA All-Star MVP award three times during his career (1988, 1996, and 1998).
#7 Jerry West - 14 NBA All-Star selections
Mr. Clutch played 14 years in the NBA and was an NBA All-Star each time.
Jerry West was an NBA All-Star as a rookie in the 1960-61 NBA season and played in the event 12 times.
He started 11 times in the NBA All-Star Game and won the NBA All-Star MVP in 1972 after hitting the game-winning shot in the last second.
West also received 12 All-NBA selections in his legendary career. He also won one Finals MVP trophy (only winner from the losing team), led the league in scoring and assists in separate years, and won one NBA championship.
#6 Kevin Garnett - 15 NBA All-Star selections
Kevin Garnett came into the NBA straight from high school in 1995. The Big Ticket went on to play 21 seasons in the NBA and earned recognition as one of the greatest power forwards ever.
He was adored by the fans of the franchise he played on, and it probably helped him obtain 15 NBA All-Star selections.
Garnett was also named MVP of the NBA All-Star Game in 2003. KG was an intense athlete who played in 21 NBA seasons.
In his career, Garnett played in 14 NBA All-Star games and started 11 times.
KG was selected to nine All-NBA teams.
#5 Tim Duncan - 15 NBA All-Star selections
Arguably the greatest power forward in the history of the NBA, Tim Duncan was recognized as an NBA All-Star 15 times during his glorious 19-year career.
Even though Duncan was not a flashy player, his stature in the league was respected each time. He also won the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 2000 (alongside Shaquille O'Neal).
He played every NBA All-Star game in which he was selected and was named as a West starter 12 times.
A five-time NBA champion, Duncan was also a 15-time All-NBA player.
#4 Shaquille O'Neal - 15 NBA All-Star selections
If you could select only one player for NBA All-Star weekend, Shaquille O'Neal would be the perfect choice.
O'Neal was one of the league's most popular players since his rookie year in the NBA.
Shaq was an entertaining player and is an entertaining man.
During his 19-year NBA career, Shaq was selected for 15 NBA All-Star games and he played in 12 (started nine times). The Diesel also won three NBA All-Star Gamr MVPs in his extraordinary career.
#3 LeBron James - 16 NBA All-Star selections
He will not stay in the third spot of this list for long. LeBron James is having arguably the most legendary career in NBA history.
The King appears in almost every positive list in NBA history, and he deserves it. In his unique 17-year career in the NBA, James has been an NBA All-Star 16 times.
Since his second year in the league, James has earned NBA All-Star recognition each time (and always as a starter).
James will continue to add NBA All-Star selections to his name until the day he retires from the NBA, and he is likely to be at the top of this list in a few years.
#2 Kobe Bryant - 18 NBA All-Star selections
The late, great Kobe Bryant played his entire 20-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers and with the West team in the NBA All-Star Game.
Bryant was selected to the NBA All-Star Game 18 times during his glorious NBA career.
He played 15 NBA All-Star Games and was a starter each time.
Also, Bryant holds the record for most NBA All-Star Game MVPs with four (tied with Bob Pettit).
After Bryant's tragic death in January 2020, the NBA named the NBA All-Star game MVP trophy in his honor.
#1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 19 NBA All-Star selections
In Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's illustrious 20-year NBA career, he was selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game 19 times.
Abdul-Jabbar was not selected to the 1978 NBA All-Star game, during his third year with the LA Lakers. In that season, Kareem missed 20 games and had been involved in some controversial fights. Also, Bill Walton (who would win the NBA MVP in that season) and Artis Gilmore were playing at a tremendous level and finished ahead of him in the West voting.
Kareem has a strong case to be considered the greatest basketball player ever, from his high school years to the NBA. He is the NBA's all-time leader in points (38,387) and MVPs (six), and also won six NBA championships.
Despite having many accolades in his career, Kareem did not win MVP of the NBA All-Star during his NBA tenure.
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