LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers has taken the overall lead in fan voting for next month’s NBA All-Star Game
NEW YORK, United States, Feb 6 – Captains LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks have selected the team rosters for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game.
The Lakers’ Anthony Davis was selected by James with the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA All-Star Draft while The Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid was drafted by Antetokounmpo with the No. 2 overall pick.
The 69th NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 16 at the United Center in Chicago.
James and Antetokounmpo drafted the NBA All-Star Game team rosters from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves in each conference. The two captains made 11 picks each – four starters and seven reserves – without regard to a player’s conference affiliation or position.
During the NBA All-Star Draft, the eight remaining starters (aside from James and Antetokounmpo) were selected in the first round.
The 14 reserves were chosen in the second round. James, the top overall finisher in fan voting, was awarded the first pick in the first round. Antetokounmpo made the first pick in the second round. The captains alternated picks in each round until all players in that round had been selected.
Both NBA All-Star Game teams will play for a Chicago-based charity beneficiary, as selected by James and
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo looks to pass as Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid defends in the 76ers’ 212-109 NBA victory over the Bucks
Team LeBron will play for Chicago Scholars, a nonprofit leadership development organization that empowers academically ambitious students from under-resourced communities to complete college and become the next generation of leaders.
Team Giannis will play for After School Matters, a nonprofit organization that provides life-changing after-school and summer program opportunities to nearly 19,000 Chicago teenagers each year.
As part of the new format for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, the two teams will compete to win each quarter for their designated charities.
Team Giannis will wear the red Jordan Brand NBA All-Star 2020 uniforms and Team LeBron will wear the blue Jordan Brand NBA All-Star 2020 uniforms.
As previously announced, Team Giannis will wear No. 24 and Team LeBron will wear No. 2 – the basketball jersey numbers of the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, respectively.
Both teams will wear jersey patches displaying nine stars, representing Kobe, Gianna and their seven friends and teammates who tragically passed away in a helicopter accident on Jan. 26.
The NBA All Star drafts
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will select the replacement for any player unable to participate in the All-Star Game, choosing a player from the same conference as the player who is being replaced.
Silver’s selection would join the team that drafted the replaced player. If a replaced player is a starter, the head coach of that team would name a new starter from his team’s group of reserves.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel will lead Team LeBron, and Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse will guide Team Giannis.
