Who will represent the Philadelphia 76ers during All-Star Weekend 2019?
Joel Embiid made his All-Star debut last season, representing the Philadelphia 76ers in Stephen Curry’s starting lineup. Now entering his third season, the big man will look to begin his quest for MVP.
With the Sixers projected among the Eastern Conference frontrunners in most preseason rankings, Embiid is on track for another All-Star appearance in 2019. And, with LeBron James heading West, his popularity might make him the captain. Kyrie Irving is probably his stiffest competition on that front.
The All-Star picture, especially in the East, remains wide open. Embiid might not be the only Sixer, with Ben Simmons almost making the squad last season. There are also some other dark horses worth noting. Can Jayson Tatum — who, in case you haven’t heard, is only 20 — make the leap?
In the West, a loaded conference will naturally lead to high-caliber snubs. The Warriors have four perennial All-Stars at this point, while just about every playoff team has one or two elite talents. The Sixers should be happy with where they’re at geographically.
LeBron James feels like the shoo-in captain out west, although Curry is popular enough to give him some competition. This year’s game will take place in Charlotte, the (new) home of Michael Jordan and his underperforming franchise.
Before we get to the projections, here are some basic rules:
- Two backcourt, three frontcourt starters from both conferences
- Each conference gets 12 players, even if the teams are no longer conference-based