With the NBA All-Star Game's new format of a four-team tournament drawing a lot of pushback, one player not participating may have infuriated fans more than the actual product on the court. Just hours before the start of the tournament,

Carmelo Anthony, one of LeBron James' closest friends, has a strong opinion on James opting to not play in this year's NBA All-Star Game.

Under the NBA’s new tournament-like format for the All-Star Game, LeBron James was the first overall pick selected by Shaquille O’Neal a couple weeks ago. But on Sunday, Shaq’s squad took quite the hit with last-minute injury news.

LeBron James will not play in Sunday’s All-Star Game, the first time he has been selected but will not participate in the league’s midseason showcase.

Soreness in a foot and ankle force him to miss the midseason classic. He hopes to be ready when the regular season resumes on Wednesday.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has revealed that he will not be playing in the NBA All-Star Game tonight. During his media availability before the game, James revealed that he is still dealing with an injury so he will not be in uniform. LeBron James says he won't play in tonight's game because of foot/ankle discomfort.

Fellow All-Stars Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo both suffered injuries following their respective selections, and both were replaced by other players from their respective conferences ahead of All-Star weekend, with Kyrie Irving and Trae Young getting the nods.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will not play in Sunday night's All-Star Game, per the Associated Press' Tim Reynolds. James told reporters he's sitting out due to lingering foot and ankle discomfort. A replacement for James won't be named ahead of tipoff, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

Count former NBA All-Star Kendall Gill among those who are taking Michael Jordan over LeBron James in the G.O.A.T debate. During a recent podcast appearance, G

Anything LeBron does, people are gonna follow,” he explained. “He's such an icon to so many different people.” Wyatt revealed he has not met James yet, but he hopes to later in the year. One thing he would like to do with him is give him a ride on one of the powerboats.

LeBron James' decision to decline his All-Star Game invite took many by surprise, and former NBA great Carmelo Anthony didn’t hold back in sharing his candid thoughts about it. One of the biggest talking points surrounding this year’s NBA All-Star Game was LeBron James‘ decision to sit out the matchup in San Francisco.