Injuries eliminated some superstars from the NBA All-Star Game, but those injuries opened the door for two All-Star debuts.
Fox and Edwards are two of the most exciting young guards in the league, but the Western Conference is absolutely packed at their position. Injuries to Steph Curry and Zion Williamson made two spots available, and those two are the obvious choices to fill in.
The Sacramento Kings are leading the league with 119.5 points per game, and Fox is the engine driving it. Fellow All-Star Domantas Sabonis directs traffic from the pivot, and Fox pressures the rim, scoring a highly-efficient 24.2 points per game this season. He’s especially good in clutch situations, where he’s leading the league in clutch scoring and shooting 59.3 percent in close and late situations.
And for the first time in 17 years, the Kings look like they’re heading to the playoffs.
Edwards, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 Draft, is becoming a superstar in his age-21 season. Minnesota paired All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert this season, but both have been hampered by injuries. Not Edwards. He’s played all 58 games for the 8th-place Timberwolves, averaging 24.7 points and career highs in nearly all categories: rebounds, assists, steals and minutes, leading the league in the latter two.
He’s absolutely carrying his team, and since 2023 began, he’s shooting nearly 39.7 percent from three-point range. This is his first of what may be many, many visits to the All-Star Game.
The last injury replacement is Toronto’s Siakam, who made the team in 2020 as well, on the heels of the Raptor’s first title. He’s putting up 25 points, eight rebounds and 6.2 assists while often holding down the pivot as an undersized center for the Raptors, who appear to be finally getting it together.
Siakam joins his fellow Cameroonian Joel Embiid in the Eastern Conference front court. They’re the first two NBA players from the West African nation, which has more All-Stars this season than any nation besides the US. Congratulations to Siakam, who is making Cameroon — and Canada — proud.
