REPORT: Team Giannis vs. Team LeBron roster picks for the NBA All-Star Game

February 19, 2023 minhhanh

Since the NBA All-Star Draft began in 2018, no one has been able to draft a team better than LeBron James’ All-Star captain team.

This year, the Greek Freak (Giannis Antetokounmpo) has a chance to make things right in his third go-round against The King. The question now is whether or not he will be able to finally put together a team to dethrone LeGM.

Team Giannis vs. Team LeBron roster picks for the NBA All-Star Game 2023

 

On Sunday night in Salt Lake City, the 2023 NBA All-Star Game will be the main event. The captains of the two teams, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, are two of the best players in the NBA. Kevin Durant’s (knee) spot as a starter has been taken by Joel Embiid. In place of Zion Williamson (hamstring), Lauri Markkanen is in the group of starters. Antetokounmpo isn’t sure if he will be able to go to All-Star Weekend because he hurt his wrist on Thursday when Milwaukee beat the Chicago Bulls 112-100.

Sunday, about an hour before the game starts, James and Antetokounmpo will draft their teams.

2023 NBA All-Star Game participants, rosters, starters 

Starters:

Reserves:

  • Bam Adebayo
  • Jaylen Brown
  • DeMar DeRozan
  • Tyrese Haliburton
  • Jrue Holiday
  • Julius Randle
  • Pascal Siakam
  • Anthony Edwards
  • De’Aaron Fox
  • Paul George
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
  • Jaren Jackson Jr.
  • Damian Lillard
  • Domantas Sabonis

Injured:

TEAM LEBRON JAMES

STARTERS

  • Luka Doncic

For the All-Star draft, LeBron James does not put too much thought into it. He routinely picks the top available player.

  • Nikola Jokic

After selecting Doncic, James would look for a center who can compete with arguably the best in the league. And Nikola Jokic fits that bill.

  • Kyrie Irving

Is James right to involve himself in the triangle that already exists between Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving? The answer is obviously yes, if only for our amusement.

James is the best there is when it comes to pleasing the crowd. The King will therefore select Lauri Markkanen, perhaps with a broad grin on his face as he trots to make his choice.

RESERVES

  • Damian Lillard

Right now, Lillard is on fire, so James could be picking the best reserve player available.

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Adding first-time NBA All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Team LeBron’s guard-heavy roster would be a smart move.

  • Paul George

Even though they are rivals for their respective teams in the same city at the moment, there is undeniable mutual respect between the two.

  • De’Aaron Fox

Fox should be equally pumped to make a splash in his first NBA All-Star appearance.

  • Domantas Sabonis

Adding Domantas Sabonis, who has the second-most rebounds in the NBA this season, is a great way to make more room in the paint.

  • DeMar DeRozan

Due to his leg injury, DeMar DeRozan’s participation in the All-Star game is still highly questionable. But James, having lured the league’s midrange guru to the Lakers in 2021, should be thrilled to have him on his team.

  • Julius Randle

Even though Randle’s production makes him a deserving selection, his skill set doesn’t exactly scream All-Star material. Given how strong the rest of the All-Star team is, Randle has no reason to be embarrassed by being the last man standing.

TEAM GIANNIS ANTEKOUNMPO

 

STARTERS

  • Joel Embiid

At the top of the starting lineup, Antetokounmpo selects Joel Embiid, showing his continued devotion to his African teammates.

  • Jayson Tatum

Unite the Jays! In spite of the fact that Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum are rivals on the court right now, Antetokounmpo still has a lot of respect for Tatum. Tatum, as the best player on the best team in the league, can challenge James for supremacy among NBA All-Stars by matching up with him on the perimeter.

  • Donovan Mitchell

With Giannis’s squad in need of a starter to handle the ball, the decision has come down to Donovan Mitchell and Ja Morant. However, Mitchell is the better option. Mitchell’s ability to bomb from deep could be of more use to a team with Embiid and Antetokounmpo already in it.

  •  Ja Morant

You could tell that Ja Morant was born to play in the All-Star game. He is a freak athlete whose bounce makes gravity doubt its own existence.

RESERVES

  • Jrue Holiday

Every NBA fan knows how much Giannis Antetokounmpo cares about his teammates on the Milwaukee Bucks. So, Antetokounmpo will probably start the live draft by calling out Jrue Holiday’s name.

  • Pascal Siakam

The idea of playing alongside his “African brothers” has always appealed to Giannis Antetokounmpo.

  • Bam Adebayo

Though Adebayo’s skillset isn’t made for the All-Star game, Antetokounmpo would be wise to appreciate having a versatile player like the Miami Heat center at his disposal.

  • Jaylen Brown

Brown is having a career year, averaging 26.5 points per game for the league’s best team in wins and losses.

  • Anthony Edwards

Edwards should bring a lot of excitement to the court as well. If given enough space, he can literally dunk the building off its foundation.

  • Tyrese Haliburton

Antetokounmpo, who has access to a bevy of bigs and wings, goes with Tyrese Haliburton, the reincarnation of the Point God.

  • Jaren Jackson Jr.

Jaren Jackson Jr. is justifiably a top pick because he is among the league’s best rim protectors.