First time choice Draymond Green and sweet shooting swingman Klay Thompson will join Golden State Warriors teammate Stephen Curry as reserves for the 2016 NBA All-Star Game were announced on Thursday.
Green and Chicago Bulls Jimmy Butler highlight the selections for the reserves for each conference who were chosen by the 30 coaches.
The starters, who are voted for by the fans, were named earlier this month and Thursday’s announcement filled out the rosters for the February 14 mid-season showcase in Toronto, Canada.
Besides Green and Thompson, West coach Gregg Popovich will also have at his disposal Houston Rockets guard James Harden, San Antonio Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge, Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul, New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis and Sacramento Kings centre DeMarcus Cousins.
The East opted for Detroit Pistons centre Andre Drummond, Butler, Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap, Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh, Washington Wizards guard John Wall, Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas and Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan.
Three players, Green, Drummond and Thomas are in the game for the first time as is East coach Tyronn Lue who gets the nod despite being coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers for just three games.
Lue was named because he is the coach of the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference at the end of January.
Green said he learned of his selection from his mother.
“I was surprised. You never know how it is going to turn out,” Green said. “I didn’t want to get over confident and then not make it and it is a heartbreak.
“I was like if I make it great, and if don’t then it is what it is.”
Golden State has three all-stars for the first time since 1976, when Rick Barry, Phil Smith and Jamaal Wilkes were chosen.
Green leads the league with eight triple-doubles, one shy of the franchise’s single-season record set by Tom Gola in 1959-60.
Thompson is second in the NBA with 140 three-pointers, and he is making 42 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Bosh will be playing his 11th straight All-Star Game, and it will be in the city where he spent his first seven seasons.
The starters for the East are Miami’s Dwyane Wade, Cleveland’s LeBron James, Toronto’s Kyle Lowry, New York’s forward Carmelo Anthony and Indiana’s Paul George.
Joining Curry among the West starters is Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, who announced his is retiring after the season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have two all-star starters, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, and the West starters are rounded out by San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard.
© AFP
