The NBA announced the starters for this year’s All-Star Game, led by many familiar names.
LeBron James is starting his record 19th straight All-Star Game, which ties Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most All-Star appearances in history. Looks like James isn’t just chasing Kareem for the all-time points record.
Team LeBron has won all five All-Star Games since the NBA moved away from the East vs. West format and had the highest vote getters draft teams. This is the third time James and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been captains, after the games in 2019 and 2020. James will once again pick first, with the Greek Freak getting top choice in the reserve pool — and this time the draft will be done right before the game.
On the other end of the experience spectrum is the New Orleans Pelicans’ Zion Williamson, making his second All-Star appearance. He started the 2021 game as a replacement for Joel Embiid, but this is the first time he’s been voted in as a starter.
The Western Conference starters are rounded out by two-time reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, making his fifth appearance, reigning Finals MVP Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors (ninth appearance), and Dallas Mavericks wunderkind Luka Doncic (fourth).
On the Eastern side, Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets will make his 13th All-Star appearance and his 11th start. Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics made his fourth-straight All-Star team and will be making his third-straight start, though the previous two were as an injury replacement. Durant’s Nets teammate Kyrie Irving makes his sixth start and eighth All-Star appearance overall, while the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell starts for the first time, in his fourth All-Star Game.
It’s the second time Durant and Irving have started together, and the third time in history two Nets have been in the starting lineup, after Derrick Coleman and Kenny Anderson in 1994.
The starters were selected by a combination of votes from fans (50 percent), NBA players (25 percent) and media members (25 percent).
Williamson passed Anthony Davis in the rankings despite trailing him in the fan vote, after players voted AD into 7th place, probably because he’s missed nearly half of the Lakers’ games. Tatum beat out Joel Embiid by finishing ahead of him in the fan vote and ending up first in the media vote for frontcourt players.
From the voting, we can also make educated guesses at some of the All-Star reserves. Embiid and Jaylen Brown just missed out on the starting lineup in the East, while West guards Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Damian Lillard look like locks, along with Domantas Sabonis of the Sacramento Kings.
We won’t know who’s on Team LeBron or Team Giannis until just before the game on Sunday, Feb. 19, when the captains pick. However, as holder of the top pick, James is free to negotiate/tamper with any All-Star of his choosing before then.
