For the sixth consecutive season, Jayson Tatum is headed to the NBA All-Star Game.
The Boston Celtics superstar was announced Thursday as one of five Eastern Conference starters, joining Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell and Karl-Anthony Towns.
LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic, Stephen Curry and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander earned the five starting spots for the West. All-Star starters were selected by a combination of votes from fans (50%), players (25%) and media members (25%).
Tatum leads the defending champion Celtics in scoring, rebounding and assists this season. His 27.4 points per game ranked fifth in the NBA entering Thursday’s games.
This was Tatum’s sixth career All-Star selection and his third straight year as an All-Star starter.
The All-Star Game will be played under a new format this season, with a pool of 24 All-Stars split into three teams to compete in a tournament on Feb. 15 in San Francisco. The fourth participating squad will be the team that wins the Rising Stars game — an annual showcase of rookies, second-year players and G Leaguers.
The All-Star reserves will be announced at a later date. Tatum’s Celtics co-star, Jaylen Brown, has a strong chance of joining him at the event.
Originally Published: