The NBA changed their whole all-star game outlook this year, changing it from being a Western Conference vs Eastern Conference battle to a battle of the two top vote-getters and their choice of roster. This year, Stephen Curry was the highest voted payer from the Western Conference and LeBron James was the highest from the Eastern Conference. So in an unfortunately non-televised event, King James and Chef Curry went back and forth with a pool of players and drafted their 15-man roster, starting with the starting five, then choosing the reserves.
As soon as the all-star teams were spread all over the internet, fans started asking their questions and wondering who was picked first. With LeBron receiving more all-star votes from fans than Steph Curry, he was gifted with the first pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, and after not spilling the beans at first, LeBron admitted Golden State Warriors’ superstar Kevin Durant was the first pick in his draft. But he did not reveal the order he picked his players after that, until now.
LeBron speaks his draft process
After Team LeBron defeated Team Stephen in a 148-145 affair, in a fantastic game of offense and defensive basketball that had fans around the world tuned in.
The King was asked about the process of drafting players. LeBron speaks highly of the draft idea that was implanted this season and said he is all for anything the NBA wants to do next year, whether that involves him being in the position of captain again or not. The NBA has discussed the idea of having new captains that are not Curry or James to mix it up a bit, but they will more than likely keep it how it is and have the highest voted players as captains.
When asked if he will finally reveal to the media who he drafted and in what order, LeBron came through and let the media know. LeBron said, “I took Kevin first, and then I took Anthony Davis and I followed that with Kyrie and DeMarcus.”
LeBron explained that he was ‘satisfied’ with the guys that he got, even the injury replacements.
Bench?
Unfortunately for us as fans, we would’ve also have liked to know what order the King chose for the bench too. But LeBron did not talk about it. What we do know is that LeBron James received the first choice for the bench, and likely would’ve chosen NBA MVP Russell Westbrook first as he was superior to any other players on the reserves. But as Russell would’ve wanted, he became a starter at the all-star game on Sunday night anyway, due to DeMarcus Cousins who was named a starter, falling to injury, and replacing him in the starting five.