New York (AFP)
LeBron James, quadruple MVP of the regular season, accentuates his lead in votes for the All-Star Game on February 16 in Chicago, ahead of the Slovenian Luka Doncic and the Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to a new count released Thursday by the NBA.
Four days before the "Martin Luther King Day" which will mark the end of the ballot open to the whole world, the "King" of the Lakers collected 4,747,887 votes. That is 149,564 more than Doncic, the Dallas prodigy barely 20 years old, and 273,780 more than the "Greek Freak", named best player in the League last season.
Not far away, winger Anthony Davis is also above 4.4 million votes, at 335,268 votes from James, his teammate in LA
In the West, Kawhi Leonard who is betting on placing the Clippers on the NBA map, collected 3,973,076 votes, and the best scorer in the James Harden League (Houston) has 2,934,614.
In the East, two Cameroonian wingers are acclaimed: Pascal Siakam (2,433,411), defending champion with Toronto, and Joel Embiid (2,398,743) who plays in Philadelphia. Atlanta point guard Trae Young (2,066,924) and Brooklyn star Kyrie Irving (1,814,618) complete this virtual five.
Virtual, because the vote of the fans weighs for 50% in the final choice of the ten players (5 per Conference, East and West) including the two captains, who should be, as last year, James and Antetokounmpo.
The list of these holders brought to form the two starting five will be announced on January 23 at the end of the votes of the players, who account for 25%, and that of a panel of specialized journalists, which also counts for 25% .
The identity of the substitutes, chosen by the coaches, will be known later on January 30.
According to a new formula launched in 2018, the All-Star Game now opposes two teams regardless of membership in the West and East conferences, formed by the two players designated captains thanks to the votes.
© 2020 AFP