NBA names starting lineups for 2022 All-Star Game
With the 2022 NBA All-Star Game just a few weeks away, the league announced the starting five for each conference Thursday. Among the 10 selections are a pair of first-time All-Stars — Andrew Wiggins and Ja Morant — who are each set to start for the Western Conference.
Wiggins was the first overall pick of the Minnesota Timberwolves back in 2014, but is now an All-Star for the first time eight years later with the Golden State Warriors. Wiggins is averaging 18.1 points, 2.0 assists, and 4.2 rebounds this season with the Warriors and is making more than 40 percent of his three-point attempts for the first time in his career.
Morant was the Memphis Grizzlies' second overall pick in 2019 and has quickly emerged as one of the young stars of the sport. He's averaging 25.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.9 rebounds this season, and the Grizzlies have the third best record in the NBA.
The rest of the All-Star Game's starting lineup includes many of the usual suspects.
The Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James is now an 18-time All-Star, tying him with Kobe Bryant for second most all-time. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar owns the record with 19 All-Star nods.
Starters in the NBA All-Star Game are determined by a combination of fan voting (50 percent), current NBA players voting (25 percent), and NBA media members voting (25 percent). The 14 reserves will be decided by a vote among head coaches.
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