NBA All-Star Rosters 2019: Final Mock Draft for Team LeBron vs. Team Giannis

Everyone gets their wish Thursday night when the NBA televises the All-Star Game draft.

Introducing the new format last year, the NBA held a clandestine draft away from public consumption. Perhaps it didn't want to broadcast any hard feelings to a national audience. Or maybe it didn't envision anyone caring enough to watch players pick teams for an exhibition contest.

Yet enough fan and media interest developed to change the tune this year, as TNT will air the event at 7 p.m. ET. Leading the Western Conference in fan votes, LeBron James will captain a squad for the second straight year. This time, he'll draft against Giannis Antetokounmpo, the top vote-getter from the East.

Every player voted into the All-Star Game as a starter must be selected before the reserves become eligible. Then, probably as a way to spare a younger player from getting picked last, each captain gets to pick one bonus legend at the end.

Have King James or the Greek Freak developed a strategy for drafting? Did they consult with the analytics department or send scouts around the league?  

Truthfully, onlookers will likely take this more seriously than the players, who will probably just wing it. Let's take a stab at projecting the full draft results anyway.

Starters

1. Team LeBron: Kyrie Irving

2. Team Giannis: Stephen Curry

3. Team LeBron: Kevin Durant

4. Team Giannis: James Harden

5. Team LeBron: Kawhi Leonard

6. Team Giannis: Joel Embiid

7. Team LeBron: Paul George

8. Team Giannis: Kemba Walker

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

The first pick is a mystery. Barring a blockbuster before Thursday afternoon's trade deadline, James has no teammate in the available player pool. His only former teammate (available before the final pick), Kyrie Irving, didn't quite part ways on the best terms.

Antetokounmpo, on the other hand, may have already spoiled his top choice.

Per ESPN.com's Malika Andrews, the 24-year-old star said he is leaning toward taking Stephen Curry. 

"I might pick Steph because he picked me first last year, so I have to return the favor," Antetokounmpo said earlier this week. "After that, I think it is going to be random."

If James heard the news, he could use the intel to wait on Irving. James picked him last year, so there doesn't appear to be any hard feelings on his end.

However, James isn't overly concerned about game theory. Irving isn't the best player available, but he helped bring a title to Ohio. While taking the Boston Celtics orchestrator first would mostly be fan service, the same can be said about this entire process.

And, no, it's not a coincidence that James picked three pending free agents for his starting squad. With the Los Angeles Lakers hunting for one or two more stars, recruiting his peers might be the only strategy for the 34-year-old.

Reserves

9. Team Giannis: Anthony Davis

10. Team LeBron: Russell Westbrook

11. Team Giannis: Damian Lillard

12. Team LeBron: Nikola Jokic

13. Team Giannis: Ben Simmons

14. Team LeBron: Klay Thompson

15. Team Giannis: Karl-Anthony Towns

16. Team LeBron: Blake Griffin

17. Team Giannis: Khris Middleton

18. Team LeBron: LaMarcus Aldridge

19. Team Giannis: Bradley Beal

20. Team LeBron: Kyle Lowry

21. Team Giannis: D'Angelo Russell

22. Team LeBron: Nikola Vucevic

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One could argue Team Giannis gets robbed by the draft not adapting a snake format until the reserves. Yet it's not all bad; this format helps ensure him Anthony Davis.

Under different rules, James might have taken the superstar who has been subject of rampant trade speculation with the first overall pick. While a finger injury has kept him out of action since Jan. 18, Davis has been medically cleared to play. 

Although Russell Westbrook has seemingly forgotten how to shoot, he's still averaging a triple-double for the Oklahoma City Thunder. His full-speed style makes for optimal All-Star entertainment, which he demonstrated by earning MVP honors in 2015 and 2016.

While Nikola Jokic would represent a better sixth man for his wing-heavy starting squad, James won't be able to resist Westbrook. Luckily, he gets both stars in this simulation.

Even pick No. 12 feels too late for Jokic, a legitimate MVP candidate averaging 20.2 points, 10.5 boards and an absurd 7.7 assists for the Denver Nuggets. Yet it's possible the unheralded center slides even further.

Shame on anyone stupid enough to shame Mr. Irrelevant. Such fears drove hesitancy to televise the event. Reserve Bradley Beal called the draft "dumb," suggesting viewers will turn a celebration of the NBA's elite players into a roast for the player left at the final turn.

He also, however, hit the nail on the head for why it doesn't matter. They're all All-Stars. Getting picked No. 22 among the entire NBA player pool is far from last. 

Unless James and Antetokounmpo now decide to make Beal the final pick as a joke, the Washington Wizards guard looks poised to avoid the not-really-dubious honor. He appears to have a fan in his Eastern Conference peer: 

Khris Middleton can rest easy, as he should essentially have a spot saved on his teammate's squad. The question is whether Antetokounmpo reaches to eliminate any possibility of an awkward moment in the Milwaukee Bucks locker room Friday.

Per Andrews, the Greek Freak also expressed interest in targeting younger talent who will "play hard." That's why his final five selections are all first- or second-time All-Stars.

This simulation is no knock on Nikola Vucevic, who is averaging 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game for the Orlando Magic. The All-Star Game, however, is more about speed and sizzle than size and strength. Besides, both captains already drafted elite and versatile backup big men.

Special Additions

23. Team LeBron: Dwyane Wade

24. Team Giannis: Dirk Nowitzki

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

Last week, NBA Commissioner Adam Stern named Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki to the All-Star roster as honorary additions. With James drawing his choice of the two future Hall of Famers, his pick is the lock of the draft.

Friends before and after their tenure with the Miami Heat, James and Wade won two titles together. They also mocked Nowitzki for getting a cold together, and subsequently lost to Nowitzki's Dallas Mavericks together.

Neither veteran should receive more than a brief cameo in the actual game, so expect James to pick his pal.