The captains and starters for the 2018 NBA All-Star game have been officially announced. The next step for the captains will be drafting their starting squads. We break down the chances each player has of being picked first.
The NBA All-Star game has changed formats this year. No longer will the team rosters be determined by conference, but will be chosen by captains in a pick-up style draft format.
It’s a fun twist. One made a little bit less fun by the NBA’s decision not to televise the draft. They say they’re not showing us the draft as to not hurt the feelings of any of the players (who are grown men making up the top 24 players in one of the most elite professional sports leagues in the world.) Sure, nobody ever wants to be the last person picked for a team, but the NBA is missing out on a seriously intriguing broadcast opportunity.
Even more so than the player picked last, we want to know who gets picked first in the draft. Who gets the bragging rights of being the number one overall pick out of a group of eight of the best basketball players in the world.
We’re here to break down each players’ chances of being selected first overall, based on each of the All-Star captains.
LeBron James
DeMarcus Cousins: 25%
This would be a total recruiting move by LeBron. A not-so-subtle message to the Cleveland Cavaliers saying “I want to play with this guy, go out and get him at all costs.” It’s no secret things aren’t perfect in Cleveland, and the fear of losing LeBron after this season is real. Picking the (possibly) available Cousins first overall would be a kick in the pants to Cleveland management to make something happen to shake up their roster for the upcoming championship run.
James Harden: 20%
This pick would also send a very clear message to Cleveland that James might be testing the free agency waters again at the end of this season. The Rockets have been rumored as a potential suitor for LeBron and taking Harden first overall would add fuel to the fire. LeBron could totally give a wink-wink, “I’m happy in Cleveland” denial of this as well and waive off his choice of Harden, citing his MVP-level play this year as the reason for the pick.
Joel Embiid: 18%
Philly is another rumored possible destination for LeBron in the summer of 2018, although a longshot behind Los Angeles and Houston. Taking Embiid first overall would be stirring up the LeBron to the Sixers campaign for sure while letting James again deny all the hoopla citing Embiid’s fun personality, and intimidating inside presence as the reasons for being his man.
Kyrie Irving: 12.5%
This would be hilarious. It would be LeBron at his most smirky, salty, tongue-in-cheek best. He’d probably even make some jokes about “missing the kid.” We’d eat it up.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 10%
If it weren’t for recruiting, politics, and payback, Giannis would be at the top of this list. He should be the first player picked by either captain in this draft. He’s one of the best talents in the league already, hands-down, would be an absolute blast to play with, and a break-out All-Star performance could catapult him to whatever next level there still is for him to reach. Actually, maybe all of those things lower his chances of getting taken. The NBA is a league of egos, and neither of these captains wants to be outshined by the next big thing.
Anthony Davis: 9%
Davis is near the bottom of this list for political reasons as well. LeBron doesn’t want to draft Boogie’s teammate while he’s actively recruiting Cousins to the Cavs. Sorry, AD, we don’t think the chances of LeBron taking you first overall are very high at all.
DeMar DeRozan: 5%
DeMar DeRozan is a great basketball player. Demar DeRozan is also safely secure in Toronto with no real chance of being recruited to another team in the near future. And we don’t think LeBron’s thinking about heading to the Great White North anytime soon. Sorry, DeMar, don’t get your hopes up to be the first pick.
Kevin Durant: .5%
We want to make sure you saw the decimal point in that percentage. There is half of a percent chance LeBron drafts Durant with the first overall pick. James doesn’t want to team up with KD, James wants to beat KD. James wants to destroy KD. That’s the difference between LeBron and KD.
Stephen Curry
Anthony Davis: 50%
There are rumblings that the Golden State Warriors have their sights set on Anthony Davis as a player they want to bring in to anchor the “next phase” of their franchise. We know that when there’s Golden State roster rumors smoke, there’s Golden State roster rumors fire. Taking Davis first overall would be a clear indication the Warriors have their long game planned out.
Kevin Durant: 25%
If Curry doesn’t take Davis first overall, he’s most likely going to make the safe pick and go with his Warriors’ teammate. We can already hear him saying stuff like “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” or “I had to go with my man for this one.” We know, it’s boring, but it’s also the “right thing to do” and that’s what we expect from Curry.
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 10%
It would be really fun if The Greek Freak was picked first overall. It would be a true coronation as “next up” for the young superstar. But for all the reasons we’ve already listed, we just don’t think it’s going to happen.
James Harden: 5%
It would certainly create a very dynamic backcourt for Curry’s team. But we can’t see him bringing in his current teammate’s former teammate with his current teammate still on the board. We’re not saying he won’t pick Harden, we just can’t see Curry picking him first.
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Joel Embiid: 4%
Embiid is too fun for Curry to pick first overall. He’d probably avoid taking him to try to send some kind of message about being a good person. And then Embiid would hit him with a nice trolling tweet.
DeMar DeRozan: 3%
Just because DeRozan learned how to shoot 3-pointers this year doesn’t mean Curry wants to pair up with the guard on his squad. If he did want another gunner with the first pick, he’d go with Harden. Again, sorry DeMar. But hey, you’re still an NBA All-Star starter!
Kyrie Irving: 2%
Curry wants to go against Irving. He wants to take him to the hole, pop jumpers in his face, and D him up. He doesn’t want to play with him, and wouldn’t give him the honor of being picked first if he did.
DeMarcus Cousins: 1%
The only way we see this happening would be if the Warriors’ plan to land Anthony Davis was built around some kind of reverse psychology. So if this does happen, be on the lookout for some crazy stuff happening between the Warriors and Davis. Could be fun!