All-Star team captains LeBron James and Kevin Durant have each finished picking their squads for the March 7 All-Star game, via a live broadcast on TNT.
For the first round of the All-Star draft, the two former MVPs alternated picks among their fellow starters. With the first pick, James drafted reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. James’ Lakers frontcourt mate Anthony Davis will of course be absent as he continues to rehabilitate strained right calf injury.
A strained left hamstring will keep Durant off the floor during the actual All-Star game on Sunday, as well, but he still had the honor of making picks by benefit of being one of the two players receiving the most fan votes, along with James. Durant chose his fellow Net Kyrie Irving with the No. 2 pick.
When it came time to make picks for the second round of 2021 All-Star reserves, Durant drafted his other All-Star Nets teammate, James Harden. Meanwhile, James chose Damian Lillard, also his first pick from among the reserves in 2020.
Rudy Gobert (Team LeBron) and Donovan Mitchell (Team Durant), both players for the team with the best record in the NBA, the 27-9 Jazz, were the last two picks of the draft. James addressed the decision from his perspective on the broadcast, as recounted by Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
“I just want to say something, because there’s no slander to the Utah Jazz,” James said. “But you guys got to understand, just like in video games growing up, we never played with Utah. Even as great as [Hall of Fame Jazz power forward] Karl Malone and [Hall of Fame Jazz point guard] John Stockton were, we never would have picked those guys. Never.”
Here’s a full recap:
Team LeBron
- Starters:
- 1: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
- 3: Stephen Curry, Warriors
- 5: Luka Dončić, Mavericks
- 7: Nikola Jokić, Nuggets
- Reserves:
- 11: Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
- 13: Ben Simmons, Sixers
- 15: Chris Paul, Suns
- 17: Jaylen Brown, Celtics
- 19: Paul George, Clippers
- 21: Domantas Sabonis, Pacers
- 23: Rudy Gobert, Jazz
Team Durant
- Starters:
- 2: Kyrie Irving, Nets
- 4: Joel Embiid, Sixers
- 6: Kawhi Leonard, Clippers
- 8: Bradley Beal, Wizards
- 9: Jayson Tatum, Celtics
- Reserves:
- 10: James Harden, Nets
- 12: Devin Booker, Suns
- 14: Zion Williamson, Pelicans
- 16: Zach LaVine, Bulls
- 18: Julius Randle, Knicks
- 20: Nikola Vučević, Magic
- 22: Donovan Mitchell, Jazz
Can’t argue with that drafting order, although I am not sure I would have picked Tatum that high.
Tatum had to be drafted that high. Hes one of the starters since Durant is out
It’s funny how they point out that the last two players picked (Mitchell and Gobert) are both on the team with the best record in the NBA, the Jazz.
Probably because they wanted that LJ quote.
I want team Durant to win who do y’all think is gonna win
I think lebron has a better overall team, so I’m goin with them!
Team Lebron is undefeated at the All Star Game!
Probably nothing to read into…but KD drafting Kyrie 1st, but letting Harden slide down all the way to his 6th pick is interesting.
Gotta pick the starters first.
KD picked both as soon as he was able.
Oh duh that makes much better sense thanks
Probably just smart maneuvering, gotta massage Kyrie best you can next 2.5 yrs any chance ya get, KD is growing wiser with age
Not sure what u mean? The way it works is they pick the 5 starters for each team first. Then the subs next. Kyrie was voted as a starter. So he was the first pick (#2 overall) for KD and then Harden was the FIRST PICK for the subs (#10 overall aka first pick of the subs).
So the STARTERS who were voted in is:
Curry and Doncic
LeBron and Giannis
Jokic for LeBrons team
Kyrie and Beal
Leonard and Tatum
Embiid for KDs team (because he’s hurt and isn’t playing Tatum replaced him)
Harden was the first SUB Chose. So he’s not “massaging” anyone’s ego. He selected them the way he did because one was a starter and one was a sub.
We got this now?
Could have just said what @DeathbyDeathwest said. But yes, I “got this now” bud.
It may be too impolite to say, but that was too polite.
This will be the lowest viewership to date for an all star game
KD picked team mates and friends while LeBron picked to win. I am not even a Lebron fan but I can see Lebron was out thinking KD on winning.
He’s valuing team harmony over an increased chance to win an exhibition game. Smart play.
Only mess up was Bron going Sabonis. He should have taken Mitchell, he was guaranteed Gobert or Sabonis.
Maybe he thought Mitchell would shoot too much. Sabonis is a good passer and will get a few rebounds
Why are those 4 names in black ??
Nobody fears the Jazz. Time for Spida to bring the heat. He needs to make them respect his team. Rudy too, viva la France. Talk about dissing the best team in NBA lols…….. wow. Karl and John wouldn’t take that
They are good players, but hardly Malone and Stockton.
I assume it’s because the 4 names in black were already mentioned earlier in the article, so they weren’t linked twice (blue and underlined).
Bingo
I’ll never understand why Gobert makes all star games….you’ll tell me about his defense….
How much “defense” is played in the ASG? So he has zero purpose out there….he’s a warm body taking up space when someone who can score could have gone instead.
Why did Lebron get 11 picks and KD 12?
KD isn’t playing in the game, but Lebron has himself on Team Lebron.
Ah! Thank you. I confuse easily.
Lebrons team will destroy them if he sits PG13 in the fourth.
Do you mean “playoff P”?
Durant definitely drafts better than Giannis.
Don’t think LeBron missed on any of his picks tho. He’s definitely had lots of practice being a GM.
KD did alright, would’ve made headlines had he picked Curry over Kyrie hahaha. Think he could’ve done a couple picks better but that’s alright
Crucial Minutes:
C – Gobert / – Embiid
PF – Giannis / – Randle/Vucevic
SF – Simmons / – Kawhi
SG – Lillard / – Beal/Booker/Kyrie
PG – LeBron / – Harden
* Steph, Luka, Paul, Jokic, George / Lavine, Tatum, Zion
Whattyathink?
Even if this is a real game, team lebron would win comfortably!
We should just go back to East vs. West…..