New Orleans forward Zion Williamson can now be called an NBA All-Star, and only three others in the game’s 70-year history have gotten there at a younger age.
Williamson is one of the first four All-Stars, who were all announced on Tuesday-evening when the league announced the reserves for the March 7 game in Atlanta. He joins him as fellow All-Star rookies: Jaylen Brown from Boston, Julius Randle from the Knicks and Zach LaVine from Chicago.
Phoenix’s Chris Paul is an All-Star for the 11th time and The Nets’ James Harden is one for the ninth consecutive year. The rest of the reservations include Ben Simmons of Philadelphia, Jayson Tatum of Boston and Nikola Vucevic of Orlando of the Eastern Conference, along with Anthony Davis of Los Angeles Lakers, Paul George of Los Angeles Clippers, teammates Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert of Utah, and Damian Lillard of the Western Conference.
“It’s an absolute honor,” said Mitchell.
Team captains LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets will line up their teams next week, with the rosters revealed on March 4. Starters, unveiled last week, were chosen by a combination of votes by fans, NBA players and a media panel.
Reserves were chosen by votes by the league’s head coaches.
“You’re doing your best,” said Orlando coach Steve Clifford. “It’s not easy.… It’s hard every year, and if you look at this year in the East, there were some guys who are worth making it. So it’s hard every year.”
Atlanta’s Trae Young, an All-Star last season, isn’t one this year, despite coming in an average of 26.9 points on Tuesday, the most of all unselected. Miami directs Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, and Phoenix’s Devin Booker neither.
“Devin Booker is the most respected player in our league !!!! It’s that simple, ”James tweeted.
Mike Conley from Utah – someone who desperately wanted to see the NBA leading Jazz be there for what would have been the first time – also missed the nod.
“For a man like him who has done so many things in his career, on and off the floor, he deserves this,” Mitchell said of Conley.
Not enough coaches agreed. There is still a chance for Conley, as Davis will likely miss the game due to an injury. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will choose any injury substitutes; a player who bows out is replaced by someone else from their respective conference.
Williamson is 20, and only Kobe Bryant, James and Magic Johnson were younger in their All-Star debuts. Six other 20-year-olds have been chosen for previous All-Star Games, but all were closer to their 21st birthday then than Williamson is today.
Randle has been the best player for the Knicks, who are trying to make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Brown averages a best career of 25.5 points for Boston. And LaVine has been to the All-Star weekend many times, winning two dunk games and an MVP award at the Rising Stars game. But this will be his first time in the All-Star Game itself.
James and Durant will be the first to choose from eight other starters for their teams when the draw takes place: Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Washington’s Bradley Beal, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Dallas’ Luka Doncic, Philadelphia Joel Embiid, Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving, Denver’s Nikola Jokic and the Kawhi Leonard of Los Angeles Clippers.