Unfortunately for NBA fans, the league is determined to keep the draft order for this year's All-Star rosters a secret, so we may never know exactly how LeBron James and Stephen Curry chose their teams. But that doesn't mean we can't have some fun with it, right?
James and Curry are set to hop on a conference call Thursday afternoon with the full rosters being revealed later in the evening on TNT. Ahead of that big announcement, Sporting News' Jordan Greer (Team Stephen Curry) and Gilbert McGregor (Team LeBron James) decided to hold their own All-Star fantasy draft. (Gilbert has the height advantage on Jordan, so he's LeBron.)
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Here are the basic rules: As the top vote-getter, James receives the No. 1 overall selection. The first eight picks are from the group of starters, and all subsequent picks from the pool of reserves. In the actual draft, Curry will have the No. 8 and No. 9 picks once the draft switches from starters to reserves, but to keep things simple, we're just going straight through in order.
Players can be chosen based on performance, but there were other factors involved. After all, it's the NBA we're talking about here. There are always multiple storylines.
Let's dive in...
Team LeBron James
1. Kevin Durant, Warriors
Depending on who you ask, the best basketball player in the world is either James or Durant. LeBron and KD might be rivals, but James is too smart to not use his first pick to immediately stack the team.
3. James Harden, Rockets
The numbers make Harden a no-brainer here. With a league-leading average of 31.2 points per game along with 9.0 assists, Harden has created significant distance from other MVP candidates at the season’s midway point. He also leads the league with 160 made 3-pointers.
5. DeMarcus Cousins, Pelicans
James is fresh off congratulating Cousins on a “super sick stat line" for his performance against the Bulls. This season, Cousins has made 104 3-pointers, the most among all centers. Oh, James and Cousins are both free agents this summer, too. They might take some time out of the weekend to talk about their summer plans.
7. Kyrie Irving, Celtics
What better way to ease the tension between the two than to pick Irving to round out the starting lineup? The duo has teamed up to beat Curry before, so they might as well do it again. Not to mention the amount of opportunities they’ll have to do their handshake.
9. John Wall, Wizards
James and Wall have a history of respecting each other's games and have a business relationship outside of sports. Wall’s speed and athleticism are perfect for the All-Star setting, and he would be great to run the second unit’s offense.
11. Kristaps Porzingis, Knicks
Porzingis is another player that perfectly fits the mold of the type of big that flourishes playing alongside James. In addition to shooting the shooting the three at a 38.7 percent clip this year, Porzingis has become a certified rim protector with a league-leading 2.3 blocks per game.
13. Bradley Beal, Wizards
Yep, another guy to stretch the floor. The first-time All-Star is a career 39.4 percent 3-point shooter and will be coming off participating in the 3-point Contest on Saturday night; he should already be in a good rhythm.
15. Damian Lillard, Trail Blazers
After being snubbed the past two seasons, Lillard is coming into the game with something to prove. Averaging 25.3 points per game while shooting 37.0 percent from 3-point range this season, Lillard fits right in with the theme of Team James’ prolific 3-point shooters.
17. Kevin Love, Cavs
Speaking of tension... the Cavs are going through a tumultuous month, much at the expense of Love. James could use this pick to make some peace in their locker room, or prevent any more rising tension. With Irving, the Cavs old "Big Three" is back together again. More handshakes!
19. Jimmy Butler, Timberwolves
Butler and James have shared some serious battles in the past. If the team were to need a late-game stop, Butler is the type of competitor to lock in defensively in an All-Star game.
21. LaMarcus Aldridge, Spurs
Aldridge has been playing some really good basketball lately, and his ability to stretch the floor fits perfectly with this team to round out the roster.
Team Stephen Curry
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
The "Greak Freak" can fill any position and increases the fun factor for an All-Star setting. Plus, now he can't dunk on Curry like he did last time.
4. Anthony Davis, Pelicans
Call Jay Bilas. This team has serious wingspan. Davis has put up his usual ridiculous numbers while also shooting a career-high 34.7 percent from 3-point range. This is another great alley-oop target for Curry.
6. Joel Embiid, Sixers
Trust. The. Process. Embiid will be joking with guys, blocking shots and throwing down dunks, but the real reason for this pick is to see if he engages Cousins in another butt-slapping contest.
8. DeMar DeRozan, Raptors
Curry needs a guard at this point, so why not go across the border for one of the best scorers in the NBA? DeRozan's improved passing (career-high 5.0 assists per game) and 3-point shooting (career-high 35.2 percent) make him a perfect fit to round out the starting five.
10. Klay Thompson, Warriors
Come get Thompson before he demands a trade (just kidding). Golden State's other sniper is enjoying the best shooting season of his career, which is insane considering he's freaking Klay Thompson. He's a flamethrower off the bench.
12. Russell Westbrook, Thunder
Let's get weird. Westbrook's speed, athleticism and explosion are tailor-made for the All-Star Game, but this pick really needs to happen so we can see Westbrook vs. Durant on a switch.
14. Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves
That's three consecutive guards, so Curry could use a backup big man. Towns has played some tremendous games as of late, and he doesn't have to fear Tom Thibodeau yelling at him about defense. Enjoy, KAT!
16. Victor Oladipo, Pacers
Yes, you want Oladipo on your All-Star team.
18. Draymond Green, Warriors
This comes right after the Love pick, so it makes sense to stick with teammates here. Green is a willing passer, and hey, he might play some defense. At the very least, Curry doesn't anger him.
20. Kyle Lowry, Raptors
Why not take both Raptors? Lowry is a solid option at point guard, but he doesn't need to possess the ball to be effective. (Also, Ben Simmons didn't make the cut, so Curry won't have to worry about a fight in the hallway.)
22. Al Horford, Celtics
Look, no one goes to the All-Star Game to watch textbook dribble-handoff plays. But Horford shouldn't feel any sadness over being the last pick. You know what they call the last guy picked in an NBA All-Star fantasy draft? An NBA All-Star.