The NBA today revealed the team rosters for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, as selected by All-Star captains LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors in the inaugural NBA All-Star Draft.
As the All-Star starter from each conference who received the most fan votes in his conference, James and Curry drafted the team rosters from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference. The captains selected their 11 teammates regardless of conference affiliation, marking the NBA’s first All-Star Game without a match-up between the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference.
First drafting the other eight starters (as elected in a split vote between fans, media members and the players themselves) followed by the twelve reserves (as chosen in a vote by the NBA's current head coaches), the two players alternated their picks, with LeBron going first.
The two drafted line-ups are as followed.
TEAM LEBRON JAMES
Starters
- LeBron James
- Kyrie Irving
- Kevin Durant
- Anthony Davis
- DeMarcus Cousins
Reserves
- John Wall
- Kevin Love
- Bradley Beal
- LaMarcus Aldridge
- Victor Oladipo
- Kristaps Porzingis
- Russell Westbrook
TEAM STEPHEN CURRY
Starters
- Stephen Curry
- James Harden
- DeMar DeRozan
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Joel Embiid
Reserves
- Damian Lillard
- Jimmy Butler
- Draymond Green
- Kyle Lowry
- Klay Thompson
- Karl-Anthony Towns
- Al Horford
LeBron chose to keep his team-mate Kevin Love on his team, and, eye-openingly, opted to pick former Cavalier guard Kyrie Irrving despite his ignominious departure from LeBron over the summer. Steph wasn't quite as lucky in being able to keep his band together - he was able to draft both Draymond Green and Klay Thompson among the reserves, but lost out on Kevin Durant, who goes to Team LeBron.
By virtue of being the leading vote-getter, LeBron had the first overall pick in the pick. And presumably, he took Durant. Sadly, given that the draft was not televised, we do not know for sure yet.
Also of note is the fact that the only five players in this year's All-Star Game who have also previously won an All-Star MVP award – Davis (2017), Durant (2012), Irving (2014), James
(2006, 2008) and Westbrook (2015, 2016) – are all on Team LeBron.
The All-Star Game will take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 18th (tipping at 1am GMT), and you can catch all the coverage before, during and after the weekend here on GiveMeSport.