Next year's NBA All-Star game will be different as it will feature a new format. It will no longer be a clash between the West and the East, as players will pick their own squads. Two top vote getters will be team leaders and they will be able to choose other players to join their teams. The players will be allowed to choose any player that was selected to the All-Star game, regardless of a conference.
The new system means that we will see some interesting teammates share the floor. For the first time in NBA history, we could see LeBron James and Stephen Curry play on the same team, and this is something that would be really amazing.
Curry's teammate, Klay Thompson, expressed his desire to play with Kevin Love and LeBron. Considering that all three of them are having great seasons, it won't be surprising if they all get selected and end up on the same team.
Teaming up
Klay Thompson and Kevin Love were both born in the Los Angeles area and they moved to Oregon where they became friends. As kids, they were even on the same baseball team.
A little #TBT for tonight's #NBAFinals Klay Thompson and Kevin Love playing for Lake Oswego Little League in 2001. pic.twitter.com/Dsv9apfC9w
— Jen Beyrle (@JenBeyrle) June 2, 2016
Now, they are NBA superstars and they have faced in the NBA Finals three straight times. Thompson's Golden State Warriors defeated Love's Cleveland Cavaliers twice, but we might see the fourth matchup next year.
While they play against each other every season, Thompson would like to have Love on his squad in the All-Star game.
“To play with him in the All-Star Game would be pretty special,” said Thompson about Kevin Love. He also added how he'd love to share the floor with LeBron James as well. “It would be fun to play with LeBron just because I've always gone against him, and it would be cool to see him like on a teammate aspect."
Will they make it?
LeBron James was a starter in the 2017 All-Star game while Klay Thompson and Kevin Love came off the bench for their respective conferences.
James is having another MVP-deserving season and Love is averaging 19.8 Points Per Game, his highest scoring average in Cleveland. On the other side, Thompson is averaging 20.7 points per game and is one of the best three-point shooters in the league.
Last All-Star game, Thompson finished fifth in West backcourt voting, but it still earned him a spot on the team.
LeBron finished first in every single category and was a starter for the East, and just like Thompson, Love finished fifth among East frontcourt players, but it was just enough for him to make the team.
Will they be able to repeat this success and make the All-Star team? There are many great players in the NBA today, so it won't be an easy task. However, one thing is for sure, these three players will get a lot of votes from fans, and that might be the difference maker.