SAN FRANCISCO – No shock that one player of the Golden State Warriors was named to the Western Conference NBA All-Star starting lineup; however, two members will be heading to Cleveland as starters.
Stephen Curry was named to his eighth All-Star game and Andrew Wiggins will make his first All-Star game.
“One of the proudest moments to see what Wiggins has done since he got here a couple of years ago,” said Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr.
Curry is also no stranger to All-Star Saturday night, as he won the Skills Challenge in 2011, played in the Rising Stars Challenge in 2010 and 2011, the Shooting Stars Competition in 2014 and 2015, the Three-Point Contest on seven occasions, including winning it in 2015 and 2021 and played in the Sunday showcase from 2014-2019 and 2021.
Wiggins was named the 2015 MVP of the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge his rookie season, he scored 22 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished off four assists. He also played in the 2016 game as a sophomore.
This will be the sixth time that the Warriors have had two players start the game together. The first time was in 1967, when Rick Barry and Nate Thurmond, then again in 2015, when Curry and Klay Thompson teamed up, two years later, began a streak of three All-Star starts for Curry and Kevin Durant from 2017-2019 and this season with Curry and Wiggins.
Joining Curry and Wiggins in he starting lineups are: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), DeMar DeRozan (Bulls), Kevin Durant (Nets); Joel Embiid (76ers), LeBron James (Lakers), Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Ja Morant (Grizzlies) and Trae Young (Hawks)
The 71st NBA All-Star Game will take place on Sunday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT. Cleveland is hosting NBA All-Star 2022, which will celebrate the league’s 75th Anniversary Season. Cleveland last hosted NBA All-Star in 1997, when the NBA commemorated its 50th anniversary.
Photo by Warriors/Twitter