LeBron James' record against his fellow NBA All-Stars

In Year 18 of LeBron James’ NBA career, the 36-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star is still at the top of his game.

In his third season in L.A., his Lakers are 20-6 and favored to win their second straight NBA title. James, the team's scoring and assists leader, is also the frontrunner to collect his fifth career NBA MVP.

Recently, we took a look at King James’ record against every Hall of Famer he has faced to examine his performance against basketball legends of the past.

Now that the current NBA season is in full swing, let’s turn to today's players. Below we break down LeBron’s regular-season and postseason records against his fellow NBA All-Stars currently in the league.  

LeBron vs. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Two-time reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has only beaten LeBron five times in 21 head-to-head matchups. The Greek Freak dropped five straight against James to start his career. The Milwaukee Bucks forward needed double-overtime to earn his first win against James on Nov. 14, 2015.

In games between the two, LeBron has averaged 28 points, compared to Giannis' 23 PPG, and 7.1 assists to Giannis' 4.5 APG.

LeBron vs. Jimmy Butler

Across 40 career matchups, Miami Heat small forward Jimmy Butler owns a winning regular-season record (14-9) against LeBron.

The playoffs are a different story.

Butler and James have battled each other in three playoff series, all of which LeBron has won.

With the Heat, James beat Butler (then with Chicago) 4-1 in the 2013 Eastern Conference Semifinals. The two met again in the 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinals, where LeBron's Cavaliers downed Butler's Bulls, 4-2.

Most recently, LeBron and the Lakers defeated Butler and the Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals, held in the Orlando bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Los Angeles won the series 4-2 as LeBron averaged 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game on his way to his fourth career NBA Finals MVP.

LeBron vs. Steph Curry

From 2015-2018, the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers were annual NBA Finals adversaries.

Curry and the Warriors defeated LeBron in three of those Finals series, while LeBron got his only ring with Cleveland in a 4-3 win against Golden State in 2016.

In games played between each other, LeBron has averaged 31 points to Curry's 23.7, 10.2 rebounds to Curry's 5.0, and 8.1 assists to Curry's 6.5.

LeBron vs. Kevin Durant

Two of those NBA Finals series against the Warriors featured forward Kevin Durant, who won NBA Finals MVP in 2017 and 2018.

James also encountered Durant one other time in the postseason, in 2012. That year, James' Heat defeated Durant's Thunder 4-1 in the NBA championship series.

The win earned LeBron his first NBA title and NBA Finals MVP award.

LeBron vs. James Harden

2018 NBA MVP James Harden was a part of that young Thunder team that came up short in 2012.

Harden averaged just 12.4 points per game and 3.6 assists in that series, while Durant led the team in scoring (30.6 PPG). Teammate Russell Westbrook put up 27.0 PPG.

In 2020, Harden met LeBron for the second time in the postseason. "The Beard" played a more significant role this time, averaging 29.4 points per game and 7.2 assists in the Western Conference Semifinals.

It wasn't enough, though, as Harden's Houston Rockets lost 4-1.

LeBron vs. Dwight Howard

Before Dwight joined forces with LeBron in Los Angeles, the two put up some heated battles across 47 head-to-head matchups.

LeBron is just 23-18 against Howard in regular-season games, and lost 4-2 in the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals, when Howard played for the Magic.

In 2019, Howard signed with the Lakers for his second stint in Los Angeles. As teammates, Howard and James were 50-15 in the regular season and 13-5 in the postseason.

In 2020, Howard signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers to play with Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and new head coach Doc Rivers.

LeBron vs. Kawhi Leonard

One player who has been a difficult out for LeBron throughout his career is Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.

In 14 regular-season games, Kawhi is 9-5 against LeBron, while he boasts a 7-5 postseason record against James.

In the 2013 NBA Finals, Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs suffered a crushing 4-3 series loss to LeBron and the Heat.

The following season, the Spurs repaid Miami by squashing the defending champions, 4-1, in the 2014 NBA Finals.

San Antonio's win prevented the Heat from the three-peat Miami had practically guaranteed when LeBron left Cleveland for South Beach. James returned to play for Cleveland the following season.

LeBron vs. Russell Westbrook

Between his time in Oklahoma City and Houston, Russell Westbrook has clashed with LeBron 30 times across the regular-season and postseason. James has won all but seven of those matchups.

LeBron has outscored Westbrook in 23 of those games, and out-rebounded him in more than half.

In 2020, Westbrook was traded to the Washington Wizards for John Wall and a 2023 lottery-protected first-round draft pick.

James and Westbrook will confront each other on the court for the 31st time on Feb. 22.