Los Angeles (AFP)
Los Angeles Lakers stars LeBron James and Brooklyn Nets Kevin Durant were chosen to be the captains of the traditional All-Star Game, which annually gathers NBA stars.
James will be captain for the fifth time in a row, after receiving the largest number of votes in the western region, while Durant was the most voted in the eastern region, but it is expected that he will miss the match for the second year in a row due to a sprain in his left knee earlier this month.
James and Durant were among the ten players selected for the starting lineup for the 71st edition of the game scheduled for February 20 at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, with the reserve players to be named in the two teams next Thursday.
The public’s votes make up 50 percent of the selection process for the two starting squads, with the other 50 percent going back to the players and the media.
As for the reserve players, they are chosen by the league coaches, with the league’s commissioner, Adam Silver, taking over the process of naming the substitutes in the event that any player in both teams is injured.
James and Durant will have to choose their teams from among the four players who received the most votes in the two regions, but without the obligation that James’ players be from the Western Region and Durant’s players from the Eastern Region.
James will play the “All Star” match for the eighteenth time in his career, equaling the number of the late Kobe Bryant in second place on the list of the most participating players behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19).
The Philadelphia 76ers of Cameroon, Joel Embiid and Denver Nuggets of Serbia, Nikola Jokic, will be the center of gravity in the colored area.
As expected, the choice in the eastern region fell on the Milwaukee Bucks star, the Greek League champion, Yannis Antetokounmpo, along with Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks), and Demar DeRozan (Chicago Bulls), while the Golden State Warriors will be represented by two players, playmaker Stephen Curry and Canadian Andrew Wiggins, Ja Morant (“Memphis Grizzlies”) will complete the list of five players selected from the Western Region teams, and James and Durant will select their players on February 10th.