LaMelo Ball, Dejounte Murray Named 2022 All-Star Game Replacements for Durant, Green
The NBA announced that the Charlotte Hornets' LaMelo Ball and San Antonio Spurs' Dejounte Murray will join the 2022 All-Star Game as injury replacements.
Ball is filling the void opened by the Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant, while Murray replaces the Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green.
In an accompanying move, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who was already an All-Star reserve, will assume Durant's place as a starter in the Eastern Conference.
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Ball, who was also named to this year's Rising Stars event, is averaging 19.6 points, 7.5 assists and 7.1 rebounds through 47 games. The reigning Rookie of the Year has helped the Hornets compile a 28-26 record, good for ninth in the Eastern Conference.
This is unlikely to be the last time the 20-year-old is honored as an All-Star.
Murray, meanwhile, is leading the NBA in steals (2.1) and is not far off from averaging a triple-double (19.6 points, 9.2 assists and 8.4 rebounds).
The Spurs are 1.5 games out of the final Western Conference play-in spot at 20-34, but the postseason would only be a pipe dream were it not for the efforts of Murray.
Both players await the results of Thursday's All-Star draft to learn of their team affiliation for the game itself on Feb. 20 in Cleveland.
