Global stars align in NBA All-Star game

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) — International stars Victor Wembanyama of France, Nikola Jokic of Serbia and Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece will be National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star tournament teammates after being selected for the same roster by Charles Barkley in Thursday’s All-Star Draft.

In a revamped format for the 16 February All-Star event in San Francisco, four elite teams will meet in a tournament format.

Former NBA players Shaquille O’Neal, Barkley and Kenny Smith — now television commentators — each picked rosters from among previously announced All-Star starters and reserve players.

The fourth team in the field will be the winner of the Rising Stars Challenge on 14 February and be assigned the name Team Candace for Women’s NBA star and TV commentator Candace Parker.

O’Neal’s Team Shaq has six past NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Players (MVP) on his lineup, which included the first overall selection of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, a 40-year-old superstar making his 21st All-Star Game appearance.

Other prior All-Star MVPs on his lineup include Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, ex-Laker Anthony Davis of Dallas, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard, with Boston’s Jaylen Brown and James Harden of the Los Angeles Clippers rounding out the squad.

Barkley assembled an international squad with tall talent starting with his first choice, Denver’s Jokic, the Serbian center who won NBA MVP awards in 2021, 2022 and 2024 and an NBA crown in 2023.

Greek big man Antetokounmpo, the 2019 and 2020 NBA MVP, was taken next followed by Canadian guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, this season’s NBA top scorer with 32.8 points a game.

French star Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, at 21 the youngest All-Star selection, went next to Barkley’s team followed by Cameroonian forward Pascal Siakam of Indiana and Turkish center Alperen Sengun of Houston.

New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns, who plays internationally for the Dominican Republic, and Cleveland playmaker Donovan Mitchell of the United States, whose mother is of Panamanian heritage, rounded out Barkley’s lineup.

“My international players got all the different languages,” Barkley said.

“They’re not going to be mad at each other. They’re just going to be able to get along.”

Barkley suggested Team Shaq would be divided after Anthony Davis was traded away from James and the Lakers and Durant reportedly nixed a deal to return to play alongside Curry on the Warriors at Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.

“Shaq’s team is going to hate each other,” Barkley said.

“LeBron and AD ain’t going to be speaking ‘cause they’re mad at each other.”

“KD is going to hate Steph ‘cause he didn’t want to play with him.”

After Barkley said his players “are not going to be able to argue with each other,” O’Neal replied, “I don’t need them to speak to each other. I just need them to come off that pick and roll and toss it back to AD.”

Smith dismissed the global talent on Team Barkley, saying they would not compete hard.

“I don’t think the international guys are going to play hard,” Smith said.

“The international players are really great players. However, I only see one guy I’m worried about that’s going to really play hard and that’s Giannis.”

Smith selected a roster of younger talent starting with Minnesota guard Anthony Edwards and New York guard Jalen Brunson and later added Cleveland guard Darius Garland and teammate Evan Mobley at center.

Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Miami’s Tyler Herro, Jaren Jackson Jr. of Memphis and first-time All-Star Jalen Williams of Oklahoma City rounded out Team Kenny.

“I’m down with my young guys,” Smith said.