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Tim BontempsESPN
For the past two years, LeBron James has not been able to have Giannis Antetokounmpo in his All-Star team because the two captains of their respective teams.
But this year, with Kevin Durant getting the other captaincy alongside James, he made sure to play alongside the NBA’s two-time doubles player, taking him to the first overall pick in Thursday night’s All-Star Game draft.
“I’m just trying to pick players who can complement each other,” James said before taking on Antetokounmpo to start Wednesday’s draft, when asked why he won the first three times as captain. “We are on the floor, just try to play the right game. It’s an All-Star game, so there will be some tricks there, but for most of the game we only play properly and try to get a victory. “
The most important voters at the Eastern and Western Conferences then went back and forth in selecting the remaining seven participants for next month’s All-Star Game, as voted on by a combination of fans, players and members of the media. mediate.
The last two players on the board have been Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, the league leader. Mitchell was eventually selected by Durant, while James took Gobert.
The Jazz are leading the NBA with a 27-9 record, and their two All-Stars have caused some controversy in the TNT set. James tried to defend himself and Durant from the way things shook.
“I just want to say something, because there’s no slander in Utah Jazz,” James said with a smile. “But you guys understood, just like in the growing video games, we never played Utah. Even as great as Karl Malone and John Stockton, we would never have picked those guys. “Never.”
Charles Barkley then gave James a hard time understanding his writing, saying, “LeBron says he needs a certain size and is 7-5 Gobert and takes 6-2. [Domantas] Sabonis, “attracting a lot of laughter from everyone involved.
It is the first time one of the captains will not participate in the game, as Durant is out until after the All-Star break due to a hamstring strain that set him aside in early February. So with Celtics striker Jayson Tatum replacing Durant at the starting lineup – which means there were nine players to choose from – Durant ended the last two home team picks and then got the first choice from the reserve round.
Finally, James left with Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic to start with him on Sunday night in Atlanta, while Durant’s starting group will be his Brooklyn Nets teammate Kyrie Irving , Joel Embiid, Kawhi Leonard and the natives of St. and close friends – Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum.
In the reserve round, Durant’s first choice was his other teammate, James Harden, followed by Devin Booker, Zion Williamson, Zach LaVine, Julius Randle, Nikola Vucevic and Mitchell. Meanwhile, James has taken Damian Lillard, Ben Simmons, Chris Paul, Jaylen Brown, Paul George, Sabonis and Gobert.
There were also back and forth choices about whether both men were frustrated that they came off the board, while Durant had to pause for a moment after he wanted to take him. Simmons, and James said he hoped to bring Williamson to the draft.
Before the two chose teams, they showed a clip of Durant and James talking to each other just before Durant’s debut at the 2010 All-Star Game in Dallas.
“I was nervous talking to Bron in that little sequence right there,” Durant said with a laugh.
They both announced their choices for charities that both teams will play on Sunday, with LeBron playing for Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Durant team playing for United Negro College Fund.
“For us to be able to shed light on that program, shed light on those children, it means a lot to me and my foundation and the things we do in my hometown,” James said in explaining his choice.
“It’s just an honor to be able to represent so many people and use this platform to help educate our young people, just globally,” Durant said. “So we look forward to this.”
While Durant won’t play in the All-Star Game, James – despite Wednesday’s loss to the Sacramento Kings, the first game he missed this season – will be on the field and play.
“I’m fine,” James said when asked how he felt. “Obviously, it’s a long season and I want to make sure that my body, my mind is as fresh as possible, going into the second half of the season. So it was a good first half and hopefully it can be a second half. better, so look forward to the final section. “