SUMMARY
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
MANILA, Philippines – The NBA All-Star Weekend is once again on the horizon, and basketball fans will have yet another exciting streak of top-notch hoops entertainment.
As the festivities kick off in Cleveland, Ohio, let us take a look at the most notable numbers of the NBA’s elite who will make special appearances over the weekend.
18
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, famously known as a native son of Cleveland, returns home for a record 18th All-Star appearance, which ties him with the league’s all-time scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most appearances in the special exhibition.
At 37 years old, James is also the sixth-oldest player in league history to be named an All-Star behind a slew of legends like Karl Malone (38 years old), Michael Jordan (38, 39), Tim Duncan (38), Dirk Nowitzki (40), and Abdul-Jabbar (39, 40, 41).
8, 24
The All-Star Game has gained a new connection to the late great Kobe Bryant ever since his tragic passing in 2020.
This year, the Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP trophy has been remodeled to have an eight-sided base, representing Bryant’s No. 8 jersey and the eight decades of All-Star Games, and capped off with 24 stars representing the number of All-Stars in a game per year, and of course, the No. 24 jersey of the legendary “Black Mamba.”
6
Speaking of legends, a total of six members of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team are All-Stars this season – LA’s LeBron James, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant, Philadelphia’s James Harden, and Phoenix’s Chris Paul.
Five of the 11 active NBA 75 players did not make the All-Star cut – the Lakers’ Carmelo Anthony, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook, the LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard, and Portland’s Damian Lillard.
20
Of course, the All-Star Game will also have its share of newcomers mixed with established veterans, and the Charlotte Hornets’ LaMelo Ball stands tall as the youngest of this year’s bunch, and fourth-youngest all-time at just 20 years old.
Nine other players also made their All-Star debuts at 20 years old like Ball, but only one still stands out as the lone teenager to ever make the list so far: 19-year-old Kobe Bryant in 1998.
4
Some NBA players are simply too talented from the get-go, and get early All-Star recognition like Ball, but others had to work their way up from the very bottom to get where they are now.
Four of this year’s All-Stars were former G League players – Utah’s Rudy Gobert, Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton, San Antonio’s Dejountae Murray, and Toronto’s Fred VanVleet.
That group is already famous for putting in the extra work to be established team stars, but VanVleet stands out even more as this year’s only undrafted All-Star.
Throughout NBA history, only five undrafted players ever got the All-Star nod – VanVleet, Connie Hawkins, John Starks, and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace. – Rappler.com
Add a comment
How does this make you feel?
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.