NBA All-Star Game 2015 Starters: Latest Comments from Top East, West Players
The announcement of the NBA All-Star Game starters never arrives without a bit of controversy, and that's never been truer as the 2015 edition draws near.
The NBA released Thursday night the five players that will represent both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, with a few emerging stars and surprises among a list of your typical superstar players. The bigger surprises came in how the fans voted past the starters although the final seven players from each roster will be selected by a coaches vote.
Although not everybody tends to agree with the selections each year, being selected for the All-Star Game—much less as a starter—is a career-defining accomplishment for some players and doesn't come without a fair share of excitement.
Let's look at the complete list of starters from both conferences and take a glance at what the players had to say.
Eastern Conference
| G | Kyle Lowry | Toronto Raptors | 805,290 |
| G | John Wall | Washington Wizards | 886,368 |
| F | LeBron James | Cleveland Cavaliers | 1,470,483 |
| F | Pau Gasol | Chicago Bulls | 974,177 |
| F | Carmelo Anthony | New York Knicks | 647,005 |
There's nowhere else to begin but at the top.
The big question entering the All-Star starters reveal was whether teams like the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors—who lead the East—would be respected by the fan voting process and get a starter or two in the mix. That question was answered, at least for Toronto, when Kyle Lowry was announced as a starting guard.
Not only was this the first time the 28-year-old has been announced as a starter, but it also marked his first-ever All-Star appearance. That had Lowry humbled as he addressed the honor, per Marc Narducci of HoopsHype:
"I was yelling and screaming.
If I would have had it before, I would have appreciated it but now 28-years-old and Year 9, it's a testament of being with a great team and great organization and great group of guys who I get along with. So for me to represent them at this time is perfect.
"
Being named a starter didn't come with as much surprise for Wizards point guard John Wall, but that didn't make the moment any less sweet.
Thursday marked the second time Wall has been selected for the game, but it's his first appearance as a starter, and it probably won't be the last for the 24-year-old. That didn't keep him from taking to Twitter to express his thanks:
Wall might be getting comfortable with the All-Star stage in this his second appearance, but he's got nothing on LeBron James, who is making his whopping 11th straight appearance as a starter.
James' place as a starter was set in stone, and leading the vote-getters used to follow in the same vein before Stephen Curry dethroned him in that regard. But it didn't seem to matter much to the Cleveland Cavaliers star.
"I'm just excited I get another opportunity to be a part of All-Star weekend, and my fans voted me in," James told Joe Vardon of Northeast Ohio Media Group. "It means a lot, and it's pretty cool."
The list of East starters is rounded out by Carmelo Anthony and Pau Gasol, the latter of which has exceeded expectations in his first year with the Chicago Bulls. Despite a consistent career, it's only Gasol's fifth All-Star trip.
He got some icing on the cake, however, with the inclusion of brother Marc Gasol on the West starters list, as he addressed on Twitter:
The Gasol brothers are no strangers to battling against one another with plenty of NBA experience between them, but doing so on the big stage of the All-Star Game will be a new thing for the star-studded siblings.
Western Conference
| G | Stephen Curry | Golden State Warriors | 1,513,324 |
| G | Kobe Bryant | Los Angeles Lakers | 1,152,402 |
| F | Anthony Davis | New Orleans Pelicans | 1,369,911 |
| F | Marc Gasol | Memphis Grizzlies | 795,121 |
| F | Blake Griffin | Los Angeles Clippers | 700,615 |
Los Angeles Lakers living legend Kobe Bryant was announced to his 17th career All-Star Game Thursday night, but excuse him for having his focus elsewhere.
The disastrous news for practically any basketball fan came Friday when ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported Bryant is expected to miss the rest of 2014-15 with a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder. It means he won't be participating in the All-Star Game, but most importantly, it puts his career's twilight into harsh focus.
So forgive Kobe for addressing his injury rather than his inclusion in the All-Star Game when he hopped on Twitter Friday morning:
But fortunately, elsewhere among the West starters leaves plenty to look forward to.
The obvious No. 1 has to go to Curry, who is helping the Golden State Warriors run away with the NBA as the season enters the second half. He's averaging more than 23 points and eight assists per game, but it's his incredible efficiency—ranked fifth in player efficiency rating—and defensive improvements that have put him over the top.
After emerging as the NBA's top vote-getter, Curry took to Twitter to thank his fans:
Like Curry, New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis has had All-Star starter written all over him thanks to his morphing from an emerging star into a surefire superstar. Davis' PER tops the entire league, and most importantly, he's only missed five of the Pelicans' 43 games after injuries hampered him early in his career.
Davis wasted no time getting his All-Star photo shoot done, showcasing the game's nifty jerseys with the following Twitter post:
The former Kentucky big man will line up next to Blake Griffin, who is no stranger to starting, but also Grizzlies center Marc Gasol, who is making just his second All-Star trip in his career. And his selection is monumental in a couple of different ways.
He'll obviously go up against his brother, marking the first time siblings have ever played one another in an All-Star Game. On top of that, it marks the first-ever All-Star starter in Grizzlies team history. They celebrated it with a special video from Gasol himself:
From the East to the West, there is enough star power amid this list of 10 players to make for a must-see event. Then, take a second to remember that seven more players will be added to both rosters before everything is set.
While we're sure to see a different starting lineup when the game takes place due to injuries, the simple selection from the fans after months of voting is an honor in itself. The fans don't always get it right, but the format of having them decide it makes the end result all the more special.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
