The NBA has announced a new modification to the All-Star Game format. The 2023 edition, which will take place in Salt Lake City, will feature two captains, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, selecting players from any conference to fill their All-Star rosters. However, the NBA has made a change in the draft's scheduling, moving it to game day, making it more like the court format the draft was intended to emulate.
It is yet to be seen if this change will result in more drama, as the previous years produced some memorable moments. This year's draft will feature reserves picked before the game starts, which is a significant change from the first five years. In 2019, Antetokounmpo accused James of "manipulating" the draft when he recruited Anthony Davis, who was then with the New Orleans Pelicans. Last year, Kevin Durant refused to recruit James Harden after his former teammate from the Brooklyn Nets was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, resulting in an embarrassing moment.
ESPN writers Kirk Goldsberry and Kevin Pelton will make their picks for the draft, which will take place just before the game on Sunday (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT). Goldsberry will represent Team LeBron, while Pelton will represent Team Giannis.
The picks for both teams are as follows:
Team Giannis (Belton) - Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers: Bilton starts with George, adding some volume on the perimeter with the 6-foot-8 player who is a proven All-Star and two-way standout.
Team LeBron (Goldsberry) - Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers: Goldsberry chooses Lillard, the league's No. 4 leading scorer and a great shooter, which is important in this format.
Team Giannis (Belton) - Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers: Bilton picks Haliburton, the most likely heir to Chris Paul's role in preparing his teammates before getting down to business of winning and losing when the game is on the line.
Team LeBron (Goldsberry) - Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves: Goldsberry selects Edwards, a young small market star who can introduce himself to a large basketball audience.
Team Giannis (Belton) - Shay Gilgos Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder: Bilton picks SGA, who does more with good spacing than anyone else in the league, leading the league in scoring on drives.
Team LeBron (Goldsberry) - Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics: Goldsberry picks Brown, who excels in running, shooting, and dunking, making him a perfect fit for these games.
Team Giannis (Belton) - Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat: Bilton ends with Adebayo, a two-way force who can run the floor, protect the rim and shoot from mid-range.