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LEBRON JAMES NAMED 2018 NBA ALL-STAR STARTER AND TEAM CAPTAIN
SET TO MAKE NBA-RECORD 14TH CONSECUTIVE ALL-STAR START; LED ALL NBA PLAYERS WITH 2,638,294 FAN VOTES
CLEVELAND – The NBA announced tonight that Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James has been selected as a starter for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, as well as one of two team captains under this year’s revamped format. James’ appearance will mark his 14th consecutive NBA All-Star start, the longest such streak in NBA history (Bob Cousy-13). The two-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006 and 2008) is also set to become just the second player in league history to start at least 14 All-Star Games, joining Kobe Bryant (15).
Fans accounted for 50 percent of the vote to determine the 10 starters for the 67th NBA All-Star Game, which will take place on Sunday, Feb. 18 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. All current NBA players and a panel of basketball media accounted for 25 percent each, with each participant completing one full ballot featuring two guards and three frontcourt players from both conferences. James (2,638,294) finished first among all NBA players in fan voting, earning him a spot as a team captain by being the top vote-getter in the East. James and Golden State’s Stephen Curry (2,379,494), who finished first in the Western Conference in fan voting, will choose the team rosters from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves. The All-Star teams will still feature 12 players from each conference, but the captains will select the team rosters without regard for conference affiliation. Each captain’s first four selections must come from the pool of eight remaining starters. As the top overall finisher in fan voting, James will make the first pick.
Over his 13 previous All-Star appearances (2005-2017), James has averaged 24.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 29.4 minutes while shooting .518 (129-249) from the floor. Among all-time leaders in All-Star Game history, he ranks first in points scored (314), first in field goals made (129), first in three-pointers made (31), fourth in scoring average (24.2), sixth in assists (76) and tied for 12th in steals (17). James also has the most 20-point games in All-Star Game history with 10 (next closest is Oscar Robertson, 8). This season, James has appeared in 43 games (all starts) for Cleveland, averaging 27.3 points (third in NBA) on .557 shooting from the field (eighth in NBA), 8.0 rebounds (25th in NBA), a career-high 8.8 assists (fourth in NBA), 1.72 steals (13th in NBA) and 1.14 blocks (22nd in NBA) in 36.9 minutes. He also has 25 double-doubles (tied-5th in NBA) and seven triple-doubles (2nd in NBA), while earning the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month award twice (October/November and December) and Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors on two occasions (Week 7 and Week 9). James has scored at least 20 points 36 times and 30 points or more 16 times, including an NBA season-high 57 points on Nov. 3 at Washington. James, who is also the only player in the NBA with at least 25.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists and a .500 field goal percentage in 2017-18, enters Cleveland’s game tonight versus Orlando at 41 points away from becoming the youngest player in NBA history to score 30,000 points, as well as the seventh player to reach that mark.
Starters were announced live on TNT tonight during TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by Autotrader. The All-Star reserves, as selected by NBA head coaches, will be unveiled on Tuesday, Jan. 23 during TNT NBA Tip-Off at 7 p.m. ET. The team rosters will be revealed on Thursday, Jan. 25 in a special one-hour edition of TNT NBA Tip-Off at 7 p.m. ET.
NBA All-Star 2018 in Los Angeles will bring together some of the most talented and passionate players in the league’s history for a global celebration of the game. The 67th NBA All-Star Game, which will take place on Sunday, Feb. 18 at Staples Center, will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages. TNT will televise the All-Star Game for the 16th consecutive year, marking Turner Sports’ 33rd year of NBA All-Star coverage. Staples Center will also host Mtn Dew Kickstart Rising Stars on Friday, Feb. 16 and State Farm All-Star Saturday Night on Saturday, Feb. 17. The NBA All-Star Practice, NBA All-Star Celebrity Game presented by Ruffles, Mtn Dew Kickstart Rising Stars Practice and NBA G League International Challenge presented by Kumho Tire will take place at Verizon Up Arena at Los Angeles Convention Center.
(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)