Page 19 - AT

A19
SPORTS Friday 7 February 2020

LeBron, Giannis choose their teams for the All-Star Game

By TIM REYNOLDS Harden seventh, and that
AP Basketball Writer left Atlanta's Trae Young as
Anthony Davis is LeBron the last remaining starter
James' teammate in Los and automatically going to
Angeles, and they'll be Team Giannis.
teammates at the All-Star The reserves were next, with
Game in Chicago as well. Antetokounmpo choos-
James took his fellow Lak- ing Milwaukee teammate
ers All-Star with the No. 1 Khris Middleton with the
overall pick of the Feb. 16 first selection of the second
game's draft on Thursday, round. Portland's Damian
as he matched wits with Lillard was James' first re-
fellow captain Giannis An- serve selection, and they
tetokounmpo of the Mil- were off and running.
waukee Bucks for the sec- The rest of Team Giannis'
ond consecutive year. reserves, in order: Miami's
James is looking to go 3-0 Bam Adebayo (the third
as an All-Star captain, af- pick of the reserve round),
ter his team beat the one Utah's Rudy Gobert (fifth),
picked by Golden State's Miami's Jimmy Butler (sev-
Stephen Curry in 2018 and enth), Toronto's Kyle Lowry
topped the one Antetok- (ninth), New Orleans' Bran-
ounmpo selected last year don Ingram (11th) and
as well. James had the No. Utah's Donovan Mitchell
1 overall pick for this year's (13th).
first round, the starters' "Cost me a trip to the finals
round — since he received last year," Antetokounmpo
the most overall votes from said when he took Lowry.
fans. Team LeBron was filled out,
And Davis, predictably, in order, by: Philadelphia's
was the pick. Ben Simmons (the fourth
"I know you're all surprised," pick of the reserve round),
James said. Denver's Nikola Jokic (sixth),
Antetokounmpo made Boston's Jayson Tatum
Philadelphia's Joel Embiid, (eighth), Oklahoma City's
"my African brother," he Chris Paul (10th), Houston's Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo, right, shoots as Los Angeles Clippers forward Montrezl Harrell
said, his first pick. James Russell Westbrook (12th) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, in Los Angeles.
stayed with the LA theme and Indiana's Domantas Associated Press
by taking the Clippers' Sabonis (14th) became the
Kawhi Leonard with the last selection. the weekend. The first three quarters three quarters was wins the
third overall pick, and An- "There's no wrong choice," Players on Team LeBron will will essentially become game and captures anoth-
tetokounmpo stayed with James said. "We're all All- all wear No. 2, in tribute to mini-games, each worth er $200,000 for its charity.
African-born players by Stars, they're all All-Stars for Gianna Bryant. Players on $100,000 to the winning "I love the idea," James
selecting Toronto's Pascal a reason." Added Antetok- Team Giannis will all wear team. Scores will be reset said.
Siakam — like Embiid, a na- ounmpo: "You cannot go No. 24, in tribute to Kobe after the first and second James' team will be playing
tive of Cameroon — with wrong. These are the best Bryant. And all partici- quarters, and then the to benefit Chicago Schol-
the next selection. 24 players in the world." pants in All-Star weekend scores will be added up af- ars, which assists children
James went with a risk next, NBA legend Kobe Bryant, will wear a patch with nine ter the third quarter. From trying to become first-gen-
taking Dallas' Luka Doncic his 13-year-old daughter stars, commemorating the there, the game clock gets eration college students.
— who is currently dealing Gianna Bryant and the sev- nine victims. turned off for the rest of the Antetokounmpo's team
with an ankle injury. Ante- en other victims of the he- There is a charity compo- night and the first team to will play for After School
tokounmpo chose Boston's licopter crash in Southern nent to the game, with add 24 — another nod to Matters, which funds after-
Kemba Walker sixth, James California on Jan. 26 will be $500,000 at stake for Chica- Kobe Bryant — to whatev- school activities and sum-
then took Houston's James memorialized throughout go-based programs. er the leading score after mer programs.q