Achi news desk-
New York –
LeBron James is now the youngest – and oldest – player to make an All-NBA team. And Dallas’ Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City’s Shay Gilgeous-Alexander are in position to make about $1 million per game in a few years.
Nikola Jokic and Denver’s Gilgeous-Alexander were the only unanimous first-team selections on this season’s All-NBA team, revealed by the league on Wednesday night. They were joined in the first team by Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee and Jayson Tatum from Boston.
In the second group: Jalen Brunson from New York, Anthony Edwards from Minnesota, Kevin Durant from Phoenix, Kawhi Leonard from the Los Angeles Clippers and James’ friend from the Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony Davis.
In the third group were James, Stephen Curry of Golden State, Domantes Sabonis of Sacramento, Tyrese Halliburton of Indiana and Devin Booker of Phoenix.
The NBA changed the rules starting this season and All-NBA voting is now positionless — as opposed to two guards, two forwards and one center on each team, a formula that has existed since the 1950s. Players also had to appear in a minimum number of games, in most cases, to be eligible for prize money from the panel of 99 broadcasters and writers who served as the voting panel.
For James, who was the youngest All-NBA player when he was named to the team for the 2004-05 season, another selection only added to his list of accomplishments.
The 20 All-NBA total picks extended his streak, a total that is now five more than Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. His 20 consecutive picks is arguably another record, and he is the first player to be 39 or older during what which turned into an All-NBA regular season.
Abdul-Jabbar and Duncan were both just days shy of age 39 when the regular seasons ended in what became their final All-NBA campaigns, Abdul-Jabbar in 1985-86 and Duncan in 2014-15. James – the NBA’s career scoring leader – played in 71 games this season, the last 42 of which came after he turned 39.
And for Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander, the All-NBA nods mean they’re poised for supermax extensions that could be signed in 2025, both of which would set records.
Doncic can sign a five-year deal worth approximately $347 million, beginning at nearly $60 million in 2026-27 and ending at approximately $79 million in 2030-31. Gilgeous-Alexander will be eligible to sign a four-year extension worth approximately $294 million. His will start 2027-28 at around $65 million — and in the final year, 2030-31, he’ll make just over $81 million, or nearly $1 million per game. This will be the first time an NBA player’s annual salary exceeds $80 million.
Also seeing significant financial boosts from their All-NBA selections were Edwards and Halliburton, both of whom agreed to extensions last summer worth about $205 million — and now will be worth about $245 million over the next five seasons.
Durant made the All-NBA for the 11th time, tying for 12th in NBA history.
