The All-Star starters have been revealed!
On Thursday, the 10 players who will start the 2022 NBA All-Star Game were announced.
Once again, the Eastern Conference and Western Conference starters are made up of two guards and three forwards each, selected by a combination of fans (50% of votes), media (25%) and current players. (25%). The main voters, LeBron James and Kevin Durant will be captains. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Stephen Curry and Joel Embiid are among the stars who will join them as starters.
From James continuing to challenge Father Time to a much-improved part of Embiid’s game flying under the radar, here’s a stat you need to know about every starter in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game.
NBA League Pass: Sign up to unlock live off-market games (7-day free trial)
Western Conference All-Star Starters
G – Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Curry has been in a shooting slump lately, but he’s still connecting on 4.8 3-pointers per game on the season, the most in the league by a healthy margin. No one has done more than 3 seconds on the dribble, and he continues to lead the way by scoring screens. The most dangerous on-ball and off-ball shooter in the league, we’ve never seen someone quite like Curry.
G – Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
He may only be listed at 6-foot-3 and 174 pounds, but Morant plays like a giant in the paint. He’s averaging 15.5 points per game in the painted area, which puts him ahead of Antetokounmpo (15.4) and Jokic (15.4) – two 7-footers who can beat just about anyone – mostly in the league. While Morant’s athleticism grabs the headlines, it’s how he harnesses it that makes him unique.
F – LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
James has already scored 30 or more points in 22 games. Not only is it the most in the league at this point in the season, but it’s also the second-most players over 36 ever in a single season. The current record holder is Karl Malone, who had 27 30-point games in 1999-00. At the rate he’s going, it’s safe to assume that James will soon take the No. 1 spot.
F – Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Want to know how valuable Jokic is? According to NBA.com, the Nuggets outscore their opponents by 10.2 points per 100 possessions with the reigning MVP on the court. When he takes his place on the bench, opponents are ahead of them by – brace yourself – 12.7 points per 100 possessions. For context, that’s the difference between Denver having the best net rating in the league and the worst.
F – Andrew Wiggins, Golden State Warriors
Wiggins is shooting a career-best 40.4 percent from the 3-point line. The secret of his success? Shot selection. His 3-point catch-and-shoot attempts are at a career high and he’s averaged his fewest 3-point pull-up attempts since 2017-18. He thrives in a more streamlined attacking role than in the past.
Eastern Conference All-Star Starters
G – Trae Young, Hawks d’Atlanta
Young certainly isn’t afraid to shoot deep. Since entering the NBA in 2018-19, the Hawks guard has knocked down a total of 233 3s from at least 28 feet, doing so at a 37.6% clip. (The furthest point from the 3-point line is 23 feet and nine inches, in case you were wondering, so we’re talking Deep.) Only Damian Lillard (272) has made more shots than Young from this distance over the past three and a half seasons.
G – DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
DeRozan (84) ranks second to Joel Embiid (109) in clutch scoring. He was a cold-blooded assassin with the game on the line, shooting 51.1% from the field and 90.0% from the free-throw line. More importantly, the Bulls are plus-34 in those minutes, which has helped them win 14 of the 22 games DeRozan has appeared in that have gone to the wire.
F – Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets
Durant was a midrange cheat code. Only DeRozan (190) had more shots than he (140) from midrange, and he’s connected on those opportunities at a 55.1% clip. The bulk of his middies have also been challenged. Built like a striker with guard skills, there’s almost nothing to do when he gets to his strengths.
F – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Nothing is easy against Antetokounmpo in the basket. According to NBA.com, opponents are shooting a paltry 45.8% against him at the rim. Not even three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert (51.7%) has been as effective as a rim protector. Don’t sleep on Antetokounmpo’s chances of winning MVP and DPOY (again!) this season.
F – Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
There’s a reason Embiid’s score has garnered so much attention – you’ve seen what he’s done in January alone, haven’t you? – but he quietly delivers the most assists of his career (4.3) while averaging his fewest turnovers (2.9). His growth as a point guard has helped fill some of the void left by Ben Simmons, who has led the 76ers in assists in each of the past four seasons.
