Zion Williamson Selected to His First NBA All-Star Game
National sports pundits debated whether 20-year old New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson would make the All-Star team this season.
The debate is over.
Williamson was selected to his first NBA All-Star game today in only his second season.
He is the youngest All-Star participant in this year's game, and the fourth youngest of all-time, behind Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Magic Johnson.
Zion is the 10th All-Star in league history to be 20 years old or younger.
He's also one of four first-time All-Stars. The other three first-timers come from the Eastern Conference in New York Knicks forward and former Pelican Julius Randle, along with Chicago Bull Zach LaVine and Boston Celtic Jaylen Brown.
Williamson currently ranks 5th in the league in field goal percentage (.616), and 14th in scoring (25.1 ppg), to go along with his average of 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.0 steals in 32.8 minutes per contest.
In addition to Williamson, the Western Conference All-Star reserves include Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George, Utah Jazz's Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul and Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers.
Davis is currently out for a month due to injury, and will be replaced in the game by an All-Star of commissioner Adam Silver's choosing.
Starters were announced last week. For the West, it's Lakers forward LeBron James (frontcourt), Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (guard), the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Dončić (guard), the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić (frontcourt) and the LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard (frontcourt).
Starters for the East are Brookly Nets forward Kevin Durant (frontcourt), Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (frontcourt), Washington Wizards’ Bradley Beal (guard), Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid (frontcourt) and the Nets’ Kyrie Irving (guard).
East reserves are Randle, Lavine, Brown, Brooklyn’s James Harden, Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic, and Boston's Jayson Tatum.
The 70th annual NBA All-Star Game is scheduled to be played at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on March 7th.