For the second straight year, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Milwaukee Bucks MVP Giannis Antetokoumpo will be the captains for the NBA All-Star Game, as the representatives for the Western Conference and Eastern Conference, respectively.
LeBron, for the third straight season, was the leading vote-getter in the fan-vote. Antetokounmpo and James will be the captains when the NBA has the All-Star draft after the NBA trade deadline passes.
Joining LeBron in the West are his Lakers running mate Anthony Davis, L.A. Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, Dallas’ Luka Doncic and Houston’s James Harden. With Davis joining, it’s the first time since 2013 that the Lakers have two All-Star starters.
The players from the East joining Giannis as starters are Atlanta’s Trae Young, Boston’s Kemba Walker, Toronto’s Pascal Siakam and Philadelphia center Joel Embiid.
Since the new version of the All-Star game started with two captains picking teams, Team LeBron is 2-0. When he starts on Feb. 16, he will set the NBA record for All-Star starts with 16, passing Kobe Bryant (15).
The reserves from each conference will be named next Thursday. They will then go into a pool of their own to be selected from after LeBron and Giannis pick four players each from the other eight starters.
NBA All-Star weekend is set for Chicago between Feb. 14-16 and the game will played on Sunday night.