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The coaches have had their say, and the NBA announced the full squads for the 2023 All-Star Game in Salt Lake City.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant and Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander headline the list of reserves that were announced Thursday.
As has been the case in recent years, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will get to pick their respective teams as All-Star captains ahead of the game itself. Here’s the pool of candidates from which they’ll choose:
Eastern Conference
Starters
Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets
Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks*
Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Reserves
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks
Julius Randle, New York Knicks
Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers
Western Conference
Starters
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers*
Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
Reserves
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
Embiid was arguably the biggest snub when the starters were revealed last Thursday. He lost out on the final frontcourt spot in the Eastern Conference to Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.
The 7-footer is on pace to lead the NBA in scoring again (33.5 points), and he’s also averaging 10.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. After finishing as the runner-up to Nikola Jokić in the MVP voting for each of the past two years, Embiid appears fixated on lifting the trophy this season.
James Harden won’t be joining his Philly teammate, putting him near the top of the list of the biggest snubs.
Jalen Brunson’s 22.8 points and 6.2 assists weren’t enough to catapult him into the All-Star Game, either.
In the Western Conference, Gilgeous-Alexander has taken another leap forward for a Thunder team that’s exceeding expectations and flirting with the play-in tournament. The 24-year-old is averaging a career-high 30.8 points and 5.6 assists. Getting to the All-Star Game for the first time reflects his continued progress on the court.
This is the second straight nod for Morant, who’s matching his scoring average from 2021-22 (27.4 points) and is averaging a career-high 8.3 assists per game. With the 6’3″ guard leading the way, the Memphis Grizzlies are second in the Western Conference at 32-19.
Trailing behind Memphis in third place are the Sacramento Kings, perhaps the single biggest surprise of the season.
Trading Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis at last year’s trade deadline looked like a massive miscalculation. Sacramento gave up a young guard with years of team control for a player who seemingly didn’t raise the team’s ceiling too much in the short term.
The Kings are having the last laugh as Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox are thriving together. Sabonis is averaging 18.8 points while grabbing a league-high 12.3 boards per game. Fox has seen his scoring average (24.3 points) remain stable while making more than half of his shots (50.6 percent) for the first time ever.
Fans in Sacramento could plausibly wonder whether their favorite team would have not one but two representatives in the All-Star Game. In the end, only Sabonis got the nod. Fox was left out in the cold.
The Denver Nuggets have the best record in the West at 35-16 yet will send just one representative to Salt Lake City. Although Nikola Jokić is starting, the coaches overlooked Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
The 2023 All-Star Game will tip off Feb. 19. The All-Star Weekend festivities will get underway on Feb. 17 with the All-Star Celebrity Game and the Rising Stars event. The Skills Challenge, Three-Point Contest and Slam Dunk Contest will follow on Feb. 18.