He’s been a lock for the game since his second season back in 2005, which means an entire generation of fans has grown up knowing LeBron as a mainstay at the league’s biggest midseason showcase. He’s not just there to pile on records,

The date was February 15, 2004, the last time LeBron James didn't play in the NBA's All-Star game, which was ironically being played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles that year. The world was a very different place back then. Shaquille O'Neal won the All-Star game's MVP award and Kevin Garnett was on the way to being named NBA MVP.