NBA All-Star Game 2021: Team LeBron lineup
The NBA universe is buzzing with excitement for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game scheduled for March 7th in Atlanta. Despite the unusual circumstances around this year's edition of the All-Star game, fans will nevertheless get a chance to feast their eyes on the revered All-Star matchup in all its glory.
LeBron James and Kevin Durant, the two superstar captains, headlined TNT’s special televised event for the 2021 NBA All-Star Draft. The two leaders tipped off the Draft by making their picks for the starters in the first round and the reserves in the second round. Their selections were made regardless of the player's conference association.
NBA All-Star Game 2021: Profiling the participants of Team LeBron
King James got the honor of making the first pick over Kevin Durant, as the former received the most votes sent in by fans. Durant took the lead in the second round as the two perennial All-Stars alternated picks.
On that note, let's take a look at the 12 players who make up Team LeBron in this year's edition of the NBA All-Star Game.
NBA All-Star coverage will begin at 5 PM ET (March 7), with the 70th NBA All-Star Game to go on air at 8 PM ET on the TNT network. Fans can catch all the action from the All-Star Game with an NBA league pass.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the final roster for Team LeBron in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game:
#1 LeBron James | Captain (LA Lakers)
LeBron James, a 17x NBA All-Star, will lead his team on March 7 as the players take center stage for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game.
The NBA has brought back the captain format for the fourth consecutive year; in this period, King James has reigned supreme with a 3-0 sweep. James cruised to victory against Stephen Curry's team in 2018 and Giannis Antetokounmpo's side in the last two NBA All-Star Games.
LeBron James will go down in history as one of the all-time greats to have ever graced the NBA hardwood.
On top of his impressive All-Star resume, James is a 4x NBA winner and has as many Finals MVP trophies. The King is coming off a championship season with the LA Lakers while producing another MVP-caliber season in the ongoing 2020-21 campaign.
In 36 games this season, James has averaged 25.8 points, eight rebounds and 7.8 assists per game on 50% FG.
#2 Giannis Antetokounmpo | Starter (Milwaukee Bucks)
Team LeBron's number one pick for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game is the reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. He received the second-highest fan votes in the East (Frontcourt players) behind Kevin Durant. The 'Greek Freak' is no stranger to the event, having headlined the two previous editions of the game as a captain.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, a 5x All-Star, is one of the elite players in the association and has bright prospects.
In this campaign, he has done a fine job keeping the Milwaukee Bucks within striking distance of the top two teams in the East. He has the penchant to find an extra gear and could potentially help his team seed higher as the season progresses towards its conclusion.
In 35 games this season, Antetokounmpo has averaged 29 points, 11.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game on 55% FG.
#3 Stephen Curry | Starter (Golden State Warriors)
Stephen Curry is another former captain of the format; he led the Western Conference team back in 2018, and like Giannis Antetokounmpo, he endured defeat against LeBron James and crew.
Curry will be headlining the 3-Point Contest before suiting up for the NBA All-Star Game. The 3x NBA winner received the most fan votes among Western Conference guards.
A 7x All-Star, Curry enjoys one of the most decorated careers in NBA history, with several shooting accolades to his name. This season, with Klay Thompson, sidelined due to injury, Curry has stepped up to the plate, carrying the Golden State Warriors' hopes on his shoulders.
While the Dubs have had their ups and downs, Curry has been blazing on a nightly basis.
In 35 games this season, Curry has averaged 29.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game on 47% FG.
#4 Luka Doncic | Starter (Dallas Mavericks)
Luka Doncic is one of the heavy favorites to bag the MVP award this campaign. In a short span of 2.5 seasons, he has taken the league by storm, electrifying fans with his all-around playmaking abilities.
In just his second appearance in the NBA All-Star Game, Doncic has already received the honor of rolling out as a member of the starting five.
Doncic finished second in Western Conference Guard (Starters) fan voting, finishing behind Stephen Curry.
Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks have underperformed in the first half of the season. Yet, their team has entered the All-Star break on a positive note, winning three straight games to climb back into the playoff picture.
In 32 games this season, Doncic has averaged 28.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and nine assists per game on 47% FG.
#5 Nikola Jokic | Starter (Denver Nuggets)
Nikola Jokic is a dazzling star who has taken his game to the next level. The 'Joker', with the exception of Joel Embiid, is the best center in the league right now. He is one of the front runners for the MVP title, posting a near-triple double as his regular-season average.
Jokic will be making his third appearance in the NBA All-Star Game this year. The big man has made a reputation for himself as one of the best passers in the game.
Jokic surprised everyone last year, as he and Murray guided the Denver Nuggets to the 2020 Western Conference Finals, where they lost to the eventual champions, the LA Lakers.
In 36 games this season, Jokic has averaged 27.1 points, 11 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game on a whopping 56% FG.
#6 Damian Lillard | Reserve (Portland Trail Blazers)
Damian Lillard should have been a starter in this year's NBA All-Star Game for his epic performances in the first half of the season.
With CJ McCollum out, Lillard has gone all out to keep his side afloat. He is the engine that powers the Portland Trail Blazers, who have reached the halfway mark with a brilliant .600 winning percentage.
'Dame Time' has taken over late-game situations this season, and more of the same could be expected on March 7th. Watch out as 'Logo Lillard' makes it rain at the 2021 NBA All-Star Game.
In 34 games this season, Dame Dolla has averaged 29.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and eight assists per game on 44% FG.
#7 Ben Simmons | Reserve (Philadelphia 76ers)
It wasn't a surprise to see LeBron James pick Ben Simmons as one of his early selections for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. Simmons, who is a client of Klutch Sports, will be making his third appearance in the NBA All-Star game this year.
He is one of the best defensive players in the game right now and could add some flair to the All-Star game with his prowess in fast-break opportunities. Simmons could potentially assist Team LeBron to seize the night with his defensive attributes.
In 31 games this season, Big Ben has averaged 16.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game on a terrific 57% FG.
#8 Chris Paul | Reserve (Phoenix Suns)
Like LeBron James, Chris Paul is another legendary talent returning to the NBA All-Star Game this season. He is still at the top of his game despite playing his 17th year in the league. CP3 and King James go way back, and this NBA All-Star selection could have been on the books from the get-go.
Paul, an 11x NBA All-Star, is adored by fans around the world for his sick handles and a lethal shooting repertoire. His arrival at the Phoenix Suns this off-season has turned out to be a game-changer for the franchise, as the Suns are now one of the top contenders this season.
With the draft ending as it did, Paul could be playing against his Suns teammate and All-Star Devin Booker in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game.
In 34 games this season, CP3 has averaged 16 points, 4.7 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game on 48% FG.
#9 Jaylen Brown | Reserve (Boston Celtics)
Jaylen Brown will make his debut in the NBA All-Star Game this year. Brown brings with him athleticism and a knack of scoring the ball with efficiency.
Brown has successfully added new layers to his game, becoming a two-way star in the association. He and Jayson Tatum have been the driving force behind the Boston Celtics' success over the past few seasons. The Celtics look primed to become a legitimate title contender in the coming campaigns too.
In 33 games this season, Brown has averaged 24.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game on 49% FG.
#10 Paul George | Reserve (LA Clippers)
LeBron James selected Paul George as the tenth pick in the second round as one of the reserves representing the West.
It was surprising to see George stay on the board for this long in the NBA All-Star Draft, though. George, a 6x All-Star, has been one of the top talents in the game for a while now.
The 2021 NBA All-Star Game will feature George playing against Kawhi Leonard, who will be suiting up for Team Durant.
PG 13 started the season with a bang, with fans expecting a 50/40/90 shooting demonstration from the 30-year-old veteran. However, he has lost some steam while arriving at the halfway mark of the season.
Nevertheless, in 27 games this season, Paul has averaged 23.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists on 49% FG.
#11 Domantas Sabonis | Reserve (Indiana Pacers)
Domantas Sabonis was initially snubbed for his second NBA All-Star selection, but fate had some other plans for the 24-year-old.
With Durant still reeling from his injury, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver replaced the Nets superstar with Sabonis, sending the Pacers' center to make his second consecutive trip to the NBA All-Star Game.
Sabonis is the undisputed floor general of his team, averaging over 20 points for the first time in his career this season. He represents the new-age big of the NBA, someone who can protect the rim while generating offense with his passing and long-range shooting abilities.
In 35 games this season, Sabonis has averaged 20.8 points, 11.1 rebounds and six assists on 52% FG.
#12 Rudy Gobert | Reserve (Utah Jazz)
Rudy Gobert and his backcourt partner Donovan Mitchell faced bias from the two team captains as they left the Utah Jazz stars for the last two picks in the NBA Draft.
When confronted by Charles Barkley on the subject, LeBron James replied by saying:
“I just want to say something, because there’s no slander to the Utah Jazz but you guys got to understand, just like in video games growing up, we never played with Utah. Even as great as Karl Malone and John Stockton were, we never would have picked those guys. Never.”
That may stoke the fire in the hearts of the Utah Jazz's players and fans alike, though. However, that could work as motivation for Gobert to help shoulder his side to another strong showing in the second half of the season.
Gobert, a second-time All-Star, is arguably the best defensive center in the league, clocking 2.7 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.
In 36 NBA games this season, Rudy Gobert has averaged 14.2 points, 13.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists, doing so on a whopping 64% FG.