Posebno glasovanje trenerjev za 14 rezerv je dalo še zadnja imena za košarkarsko tekmo NBA all-star. Nastop sta si prvič v karierah priborila zvezdnik ekipe New York Knicks Kristaps Porzingis in center Minnesota Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns. Brez nastopa je ostal slovenski košarkar Goran Dragić. "Dragića so oropali," se je glasil eden od številnih odzivov na družbenih omrežjih.
Liga je objavila imena 10 nosilcev tekme all-star, ki so jih z glasovanjem izbrali navijači, igralci in predstavniki medijev, ter 14 rezervnih igralcev po glasovanju trenerjev NBA, ki se bodo na vikendu all-star 18. februarja v Staples Centru v Los Angelesu merili za prestižni ekshibicijski naslov.
Na tekmi bodo nastopili LeBron James in Stephen Curry, kot kapetana moštev ter igralci Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, DeMar DeRozan, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Bradley Beal, Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, Kristaps Porzingis, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love, Karl-Anthony Towns, John Wall, Victor Oladipo, Al Horford, LaMarcus Aldridge in Kyle Lowry.
Rekorderji po številu predstavnikov prihajajo iz ekipe Golden State, ki je prvo moštvo z rekordnimi štirimi izbranimi igralci. Tekmovanje ne poteka več kot nekoč, ko je bilo razdeljeno na igralce vzhoda in zahoda, saj je bila zahodnja konferenca v zadnjih letih precej močnejša po zasedbi igralcev.
Slovenski košarkar Goran Dragić je sicer že pred časom dejal, da bi se veselil izbora za nastop na tekmi zvezdnikov all-star, a je ob tem poudaril, da mu bo kratek premor pred drugim delom sezone NBA vsekakor koristil, če ne bo izbran, da si napolni baterije in da se že veseli dopusta z družino. Tega bodo bržkone opravili nekje ob morju.
Dragić se je namreč v letošnjo sezono lige NBA vrnil neposredno z evropskega prvenstva v košarki, kjer je Slovenija osvojila zlato medaljo, zato prav veliko časa za potreben počitek ni imel. Slovenski športnik leta je novico, da ni bil izbran na tekmo all-star, na twitterju pospremil le s sličico počitniškega otočka.
— Goran Dragić (@Goran_Dragic) January 23, 2018
@Goran_Dragic got robbed. He’s an AllStar. He should be. @MiamiHEAT are the only top 4 seed without an AllStar. Dragic has numbers too 17ppg,5 asst. Doesn’t winning count ?
— MarkJonesESPN (@MarkJonesESPN) January 24, 2018
.@Goran_Dragic not an All-Star, AGAIN?? The only reason I can think of is that Slovenia has to be too small to be interesting for NBA/business/media/fans.
— Boštjan Nachbar (@BokiNachbar) January 24, 2018
So no Dragic. No Heat. And no one from the current No. 4 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. Has been 25 years since an East team at No. 4 or higher at All-Star break has not had an All-Star. Paging Commissioner Silver? (He names injury replacements.) https://t.co/2vh9Hp38z9
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) January 23, 2018
In the end, it looks like Goran Dragic is going to get what he wants -- a week away from basketball with his family. https://t.co/IntycuAAhu
— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) January 23, 2018
Makes no sense than the @MiamiHeat are #4 in the Eastern Conference and don't have an All-Star. Yes, they play great Team Basketball, but @Goran_Dragic has been a total machine and @youngwhiteside has been great! #HeatCulture
— Andy Kleinman (@andykleinman) January 23, 2018
I would have liked to see Goran Dragic & Andre Drummond make the East team instead of John Wall & Kevin Love. Underachieving Wizards & Cavs don't deserve to have 2 All-Stars.
— Mark Schanowski (@MarkSchanowski) January 24, 2018
Paul George > Klay Thompson
— Chris Walder (@WalderSports) January 24, 2018
Goran Dragic or Andre Drummond > John Wall
So no Dragic, who is fine with the vacation time https://t.co/phU9aZW9HR
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) January 23, 2018
Disappointed that @Goran_Dragic didn’t get a much deserved All Star nod but glass half full, the extended break will give him a lot of rest for the home stretch as Miami can’t afford to not have him healthy on the floor. https://t.co/PAlrnzyfQU
— Chillin in my Bacta (@AminESPN) January 24, 2018
