Who has played in and won the most Christmas NBA Games?

One of the standout days in the league's calendar is the Christmas NBA Games which was a tradition started in 1947. The festive schedule is always highly anticipated and has contained five games throughout the day for the past 12 seasons. Several of the league's best teams will be competing this year, including 2020 NBA Finalists, the LA Lakers and Miami Heat.

Friday, Dec. 25, ESPN & ABC combine to exclusively televise all 5 #NBA Christmas Day games

∙ @FirstTake leads into 5 game slate | 10a ET
∙ NBA Countdown tips off ABC's coverage | 2p & 7:30p ET
∙ Primetime ABC Matchup | @Lakers-@dallasmavs

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Leader of the reigning champions, LeBron James, is among those playing in the Christmas NBA Games and will be continuing his chase of two new records to add to his name.

James already sits among the top players for those who have played in and won the most Christmas Day matches. In order to surpass the current records for each of these categories, James will have to take over from two players that contributed significantly to his illustrious career so far.

Currently, the late great Kobe Bryant sits atop the list of those who have played in the most Christmas NBA Games with 16. Close behind on 13 games are fellow legends: Earl Monroe, Shaquille O'Neal, Dolph Schayes and Dwyane Wade.

Close friend of the Lakers legend, LeBron James, is the only current player within touching distance of this record and will surely eclipse it. LeBron will face the young exciting Dallas Mavericks star duo of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis this year in his 15th Christmas Day fixture.

Christmas NBA Games: 3 Miami Heat legends lead the way with most festive wins

Leading the way in terms of wins in Christmas NBA Games, the Miami Heat boast three of the top four positions with some of the franchise's greatest players. Dwyane Wade retired with 10 victories on the 25th of December fixtures, meanwhile his former teammates Udonis Haslem and LeBron James are close behind with nine apiece.

This @NBA “Christmas Day” tease by TNT from some years back still gets me. A masterclass in editing and production that paints a beautiful mural of the league. https://t.co/3v1Ow9icdE
— Anish Shroff (@AnishESPN) December 21, 2020

Both players can equal the legendary Wade's record this season though as Miami Heat play host to the New Orleans Pelicans before the Lakers take on the Mavs among the Christmas NBA Games. Former Phoenix Suns shooting guard Dick Van Arsdale also won nine games on Christmas Day before he retired in 1977 from the league.

As with the accolade for most Christmas NBA Games played, LeBron has no nearby current competitors to contend with. The next notable player on the list is James Harden with six wins and he will not have a fixture this season with the Houston Rockets.