Hamilton’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named as a starter in 2024 NBA All-Star Game
Published January 26, 2024 at 2:00 pm
Hamilton superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been named as a starter for the NBA All-Star Game, just the third Canadian to receive the honour.
Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma Thunder guard who is the league leader in steals and 30-point games this year, edged out nine-time all-star Stephen Curry of Golden State for the final West backcourt spot.
Other names on the West team include LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, who will be an All-Star starter for the 20th time (the first 20-time starter in NBA history), Phoenix’s Kevin Durant (now a 14-time starter), Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Dallas’ Luka Doncic.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid – the reigning NBA MVP and two-time defending scoring champion – headline the East team and will be joined by Boston’s Jayson Tatum and guards Tyrese Haliburton of Indiana and Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard.
This year’s game is February 18 in Indianapolis.
The starters are selected through fan voting (50 per cent), player choices (25 per cent), with a panel of writers and broadcasters who cover the NBA counting for the other 25 per cent.
The reserves, to be announced Tuesday, are chosen by the league’s head coaches with any additions to the rosters made by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
This year’s game goes back to the traditional East vs. West format, which was utilized in the first 66 NBA midseason classics until it was changed up to a draft system six years ago.
Andrew Wiggins (Toronto) was named a starter in 2022 while Hall-of-Famer and two-time MVP Steve Nash (Victoria, B.C.) was selected nine times – 2002-03, 2005-08, 2010 and 2012).
Gilgeous-Alexander grew up in Hamilton and attended Sir Allan MacNab Secondary before transferring to a Tennessee high school and later, a single one-and-done season with NCAA powerhouse Kentucky before declaring for the 2018 NBA draft.
He is currently fourth in NBA scoring (31.1 PPG) behind Embid (36.0), Doncic (33.6) and Antetokounmpo (31.3).
