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Giannis Antetokounmpo Named Starter for 2018 NBA All-Star Game

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named a starter for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, the league announced today. Across the NBA, Antetokounmpo received the most player votes (226), tied for the most media votes (99) and was second in fan voting (2,530,211). Antetokounmpo will be a starter in the All-Star Game for the second consecutive season. The 67th NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 18, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

“This is another great honor for Giannis as we continue to see his progression toward becoming one of the stars of this league,” said Bucks Head Coach Jason Kidd. “Being an All-Star Game starter in two straight seasons is a testament to Giannis’ work ethic and constant devotion to perfecting his craft. We look forward to seeing him once again play alongside and learn from the NBA’s best.”

In his fifth NBA season, Antetokounmpo is second in the NBA in scoring at 28.2 points per game while averaging career-highs in rebounds per game (10.1) and field goal percentage (.546). He’s one of only five players in the league this season averaging at least 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds a game, and is on pace to join Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players in Bucks history to average at least 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists for a season. Antetokounmpo is the first Buck since Marques Johnson (1979-80) to be named a starter in two straight All-Star Games.

Under a new All-Star Game format that replaces the traditional matchup between the Eastern and Western Conferences, the leading vote-getters from each conference (LeBron James and Stephen Curry) will now choose the rosters from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves. Joining Antetokounmpo, Curry and James as starters in the 67th All-Star Game are DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, DeMar DeRozan, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.

Fans, players and media determined the starters for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, with fans accounting for 50 percent of the vote and the players and media accounting for 25 percent each. The All-Star Game reserves, as selected by NBA head coaches, will be announced on Tuesday, Jan. 23. The team rosters will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 25.

Photo: Getty Images

via Bucks Press Release


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