The NBA revealed the starters for the 2023 All-Star game on Thursday. In the West, LeBron James—also a team captain for the draft—headlines a group also featuring two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, Zion Williamson, Stephen Curry and Luka Dončić. In the East, Giannis Antetokounmpo will be a captain, and he’s joined by Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell and Kyrie Irving. Here are three thoughts on the starting group.
Domantas Sabonis and Joel Embiid were snubbed
There were significant snubs in each conference. In the West, Williamson surprisingly gets the nod over Sabonis. Zion’s counting stats are insane. He’s played at an All-Star level for sure. The problem is he hasn’t played very much. Sabonis has appeared in 16 more games than Williamson, and while his stats may not be as gaudy, he’s impacted winning just as much. (For good measure, Sabonis is even playing through injury, barely missing any time despite a broken right thumb.) We’ll all love seeing Williamson in the game. And he probably deserved to make it as a reserve. Sabonis, with his durability and overall offensive impact, felt like the better choice to start.
