15 February 2019
NBA All-Star Preview, 2019
By Lauren Webb // Sports
The sizzling heat rises as the NBA All-Star 2019 is all set for reaching dedicated fans, who speak more than 40 languages and watch from over 200 countries across the globe. The home of the Charlotte Hornets – Charlotte, North Carolina, also prepares to receive honored guests and true fans in their new arena, Spectrum Center. It’s been a long wait since they hosted the All-Star weekend in 1991. Now, everything is ready to get the show rolling.
Captains of the two All-Star Game 2019 teams, Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, gained the most votes from fans (50% of all votes), media (25%), and NBA Players (25%).
Head coaches were chosen from teams who had the most percentage of winning games since the last All-Star game and until February 3, 2019. They also couldn’t be the ones who were the previous year All-Star game coaches. As a result, Mike Budenholzer (Milwaukee Bucks) will be the coach of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s team, and Michael Malone (Denver Nuggets) is going to be the head coach for LeBron’s team.
Here’s how the teams look now that voting’s complete:
Eastern Conference All-Stars:
Player | Team | Role |
Starters: |
||
Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | Forward |
Kawhi Leonard | Toronto Raptors | Forward |
Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers | Center |
Kemba Walker | Charlotte Hornets | Guard |
Kyrie Irving | Boston Celtics | Guard |
Reserves: |
||
Khris Middleton | Milwaukee Bucks | Forward |
Blake Griffin | Detroit Pistons | Forward |
Nikola Vučević | Orlando Magic | Center |
Dwyane Wade | Miami Heat | Guard |
Ben Simmons | Philadelphia 76ers | Guard |
Bradley Beal | Washington Wizards | Guard |
Kyle Lowry | Toronto Raptors | Guard |
Victor Oladipo (injury)* | Indiana Pacers | Guard |
D’Angelo Russell (replaces) | Brooklyn Nets | Guard |
* D’Angelo Russell from Brooklyn Nets will replace Victor Oladipo (Indiana Pacers) due to an injury of the latter.
Western Conference All-Stars:
Player | Team | Role |
Starters: |
||
LeBron James | Los Angeles Lakers | Forward |
Kevin Durant | Golden State Warriors | Forward |
Paul George | Oklahoma City Thunder | Forward |
James Harden | Houston Rockets | Guard |
Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | Guard |
Reserves: |
||
Anthony Davis | New Orleans Pelicans | Forward |
LaMarcus Aldridge | San Antonio Spurs | Forward |
Dirk Nowitzki | Dallas Mavericks | Forward |
Nikola Jokić | Denver Nuggets | Center |
Karl-Anthony Towns | Minnesota Timberwolves | Center |
Damian Lillard | Portland Trail Blazers | Guard |
Klay Thompson | Golden State Warriors | Guard |
Russell Westbrook | Oklahoma City Thunder | Guard |
The newbies of the NBA All-Star 2019 are getting ready to show what they are made of. Be sure to watch how they will kick ass of the old champions.
First-time NBA All-Stars:
Khris Middleton – forward from Milwaukee Bucks
Ben Simmons – guard-forward from Philadelphia 76ers
Nikola Vučević – center from Orlando Magic
Bradley Beal – guard from Washington Wizards
Blake Griffin – forward from Detroit Pistons
Kyle Lowry – guard from Toronto Raptors
Victor Oladipo – guard from Indiana Pacers
Also, fans will meet and greet special team roster additions, who were chosen by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in honor of their extraordinary achievements as NBA champions. These special ambassadors are Dirk Nowitzki, the forward from Dallas Mavericks, and Dwyane Wade, the guard from Miami Heat.
Weekend Contests:
Who will have more successful shots from five positions behind the 3-point line in only one minute? The maximum score recorded is 34 points, so let’s see who will rock it this time. The list of All-Star participants in the 3-point contest for 2019 is announced!
3-Point Contest participants 2019:
- Kemba Walker (Charlotte Hornets)
- Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)
- Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
- Seth Curry (Portland Trail Blazers)
- Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)
- Danny Green (Toronto Raptors)
- Buddy Hield (Sacramento Kings)
- Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks)
- Joe Harris (Brooklyn Nets)
- Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
Sometimes you want your favorite player to win in the Skills Challenge more than even buying cheap essays for the upcoming due date in college (which you are, of course, not ready for). And that we can understand because it’s the big NBA All-Stars 2019 weekend, man! Let’s take a look at the Skills Challenge 2019 participants who will compete this year.
Skills Challenge participants 2019:
- Kyle Kuzma (Los Angeles Lakers)
- Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
- Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
- Nikola Vucevic (Orlando Magic)
- Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks)
- De’Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings)
- Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies)
- Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)
Slam Dunk is virtually the most impressive contest of them all. Only best of the best All-Stars are honored to participate. We surely will be begging for more when these guys show us some fantastic magic tricks with the ball that they can do!
Slam Dunk Contest Participants 2019:
- Miles Bridges (Charlotte Hornets)
- John Collins (Atlanta Hawks)
- Hamidou Diallo (Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Dennis Smith Jr. (New York Knicks)
The greatest basketball weekend of the whole year is dangerously close. If you are not the lucky one who bought the tickets, it is not going to be less fun if you stock up with snacks and bring your family and friends together! Because no matter the winter days, it will be HOT as Taco Bell burrito in gentle hands of a six-years old. Have fun!