By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The “European invasion” in the NBA includes also the upcoming 69th All Star Game.
Domantas Sabonis from Lithuania, Rudy Gobert from France and Nikola Jokic from Serbia join starters Luka Doncic from Slovenia and Giannis Antetokounmpo from Greece, for a total of five European All-Stars.
The Chicago All Star Game includes also nine first-timers in the event.
Miami forward Bam Adebayo, Indiana forward Domantas Sabonis and Boston forward Jayson Tatum join Trey Young and Pascal Siakam on the Eastern Conference list, while Utah center Rudy Gobert, Utah guard Donovan Mitchell and New Orleans forward Brandon Ingram join Doncic as first-timers on the Western Conference list.
Adebyao’s Miami teammate, Jimmy Butler, heads the list of Eastern Conference reserves, which also includes Ben Simmons (Philadelphia), Kyle Lowry (Toronto) and Khris Middleton (Milwaukee).
Nikola Jokic (Denver), Damian Lillard (Portland), Chris Paul (Oklahoma City) and two-time Kia NBA All-Star Game MVP Russell Westbrook (Houston) fill out the Western Conference list.
Gobert, the reigning and back-to-back Kia Defensive Player of the Year, is finally a part of the All-Star team in his seventh season.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was the top vote-getter in the Western Conference. Anthony Davis (Lakers), Kawhi Leonard (Clippers), James Harden (Houston) and Doncic round out the starting five.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo was the top vote-getter in the Eastern Conference. He’s the headliner of a first five that includes Kemba Walker (Boston), Young (Atlanta), Siakam (Toronto) and Joel Embiid (Philadelphia).