Pivot Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz) has been selected to play the All-Star Game on February 16 in Chicago, becoming the third Frenchman since Tony Parker and Joakim Noah to know this honor, announced Thursday the NBA.
It was on the TNT channel that the names of the 14 replacements chosen by the coaches of the thirty franchises were made official.
The other players chosen to the West are Damian Lillard (Portland), Donovan Mitchell (Utah), Nikola Jokic (Denver), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans), Russell Westbrook (Houston), Chris Paul (Oklahoma City). In the East were summoned Jimmy Butler (Miami), Kyle Lowry (Toronto), Ben Simmons (Philadelphia), Khris Middleton (Milwaukee), Jayson Tatum (Boston), Bam Adebayo (Miami), Domantas Sabonis (Indiana).
Tears last year
Gobert, 27, who could not hold back his tears when commenting on his non-selection for the 2019 edition, can relish having finally been considered at fair value.
For the past two seasons, he has been named the league's best defenseman. With Donovan Mitchell, also selected for the first time, he has a lot to do with the very good season of Jazz, currently 4th in the Western Conference, in the fight with the Clippers and Denver, and behind the Lakers.
In 45 matches played this season, he is progressing in several areas, including the rebound with 14.6 catches and an average shooting percentage of 68.6% for 15.7 points per match.
