Embiid headlines All-Star reserves; Haliburton, SGA earn 1st nods
The NBA announced the reserves for the 2023 All-Star Game on Thursday, with a couple of surprise selections making the cut alongside four debut nominees.
NBA coaches tabbed Philadelphia 76ers center and potential MVP candidate Joel Embiid as arguably the top reserve option from the Eastern Conference after he missed out on a starting gig last week. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, meanwhile, is among a quartet of first-timers that also includes Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Eastern Conference
| POSITION | PLAYER | TEAM | ALL-STAR APPEARANCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| G | Jaylen Brown | Celtics | 2nd |
| G | Tyrese Haliburton | Pacers | 1st |
| G | Jrue Holiday | Bucks | 2nd |
| F | Joel Embiid | 76ers | 6th |
| F | Bam Adebayo | Heat | 2nd |
| F | Julius Randle | Knicks | 2nd |
| F | DeMar DeRozan | Bulls | 6th |
Western Conference
| POSITION | PLAYER | TEAM | ALL-STAR APPEARANCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| G | Ja Morant | Grizzlies | 2nd |
| G | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Thunder | 1st |
| G | Damian Lillard | Trail Blazers | 7th |
| F | Domantas Sabonis | Kings | 3rd |
| F | Paul George | Clippers | 8th |
| F | Lauri Markkanen | Jazz | 1st |
| F | Jaren Jackson Jr. | Grizzlies | 1st |
Team captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo will pick from the pool of available players immediately before the All-Star Game on Feb. 19, a change to the usual process in previous years that saw captains draft their respective squads days in advance.
James and Antetokounmpo will first select between the remaining eight starters - Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Kyrie Irving, Nikola Jokic, Zion Williamson, Luka Doncic, and Stephen Curry - before moving on to the reserves.