2016 NBA All-Star Game reserves announced
A week after the 2016 NBA All-Star Game starters were announced, the list of NBA All-Star reserves was revealed on Thursday night on the basis of votes cast by coaches across the league.
Highlighting the reserves list for the All-Star Game are three players who would be making their All-Star Game debut in Toronto: Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (West), Andre Drummond of the Detroit Pistons (East) and Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics (East).
LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento) and Anthony Davis (New Orleans) will join Green on the West reserves’ front court list. Meanwhile, James Harden (Houston), Chris Paul (Los Angeles) and Klay Thompson (Golden State) as guards wrap the reserves list for the West.
Thompson’s inclusion as an All-Star ensures the reigning NBA Champions not only head to Toronto with the most number of players from one team but this is also the first instance in 40 years that the Warriors have sent three All-Stars to the mid-season NBA showcase.
Jimmy Butler (Chicago), a player many considered a lock for the starter spot will suit up alongside John Wall (Washington), DeMar DeRozan (Toronto) and Thomas as the East reserve guards. In the East reserves’ front court, Paul Millsap (Atlanta) and Chris Bosh (Miami) will suit up alongside Drummond.
Highlights from the All-Star reserves announcement:
- 2013 All-Star Game MVP Chris Paul (9th selection) will join Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins at the top of the list for most All-Star Game selections for players to have never reached the Conference Finals. Former Houston Rockets player Yao Ming is third with eight All-Star selections.
- DeRozan's second selection as an All-Star ensures the home city of Toronto will have its starting backcourt of Kyle Lowry (East starter) and Derozan to represent the Raptors. Toronto became the first host city since Los Angeles in 1972 (Jerry West and Gail Goodrich) to have its starting backcourt named to the All-Star Game.
- Chris Bosh joins an elite cast of four players in LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, who have made it to every All-Star Game since 2005-06. He also becomes the 30th player in NBA history to have 10 or more All-Star Game selections. Another huge story line here is the Bosh’s return to Toronto, his former team before he joined the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010.
- Drummond’s selection to the All-Star Game makes him the first Pistons’ player to make the All-Star Game since Allen Iverson did it in 2009.
Here’s a complete list of the All-Stars for both conference at the 2016 All-Star weekend in Toronto:
| Starter | Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) | 18th selection |
| Starter | Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) | 7th selection |
| Starter | Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs) | 1st selection |
| Starter | Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder) | 5th selection |
| Starter | Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) | 3rd selection |
| Reserve | Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors) | 1st selection |
| Reserve | LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio Spurs) | 5th selection |
| Reserve | Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans) | 3rd selection |
| Reserve | DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings) | 2nd selection |
| Reserve | James Harden (Houston Rockets) | 4th selection |
| Reserve | Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers) | 9th selection |
| Reserve | Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors) | 2nd selection |
| Starter | LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers | 12th selection |
| Starter | Paul George (Indiana Pacers) | 3rd selection |
| Starter | Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks) | 9th selection |
| Starter | Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat) | 12th selection |
| Starter | Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors) | 2nd selection |
| Reserve | Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons) | 1st selection |
| Reserve | Isaiah Thomas (Boston Celtics) | 1st selection |
| Reserve | John Wall (Washington Wizards) | 3rd selection |
| Reserve | Jimmy Butler (Chicago Bulls) | 2nd selection |
| Reserve | Paul Millsap (Atlanta Hawks) | 3rd selection |
| Reserve | Chris Bosh (Miami Heat) | 11th selection |
| Reserve | DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors) | 2nd selection |