Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t play in the All-Star Game on Sunday, according to the Bucks (Twitter link).
The news comes as no surprise, since he hasn’t played since suffering a right calf strain on Jan. 23. Antetokounmpo was chosen to play for World Team in the new three-team format.
Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox has been selected by commissioner Adam Silver as his replacement, the league announced (Twitter link), but Fox won’t join the World Team. Rather, he’ll play for the USA Stripes group while the Heat’s Norman Powell will be reassigned to the World Team. Powell has ties to Jamaica.
According to the Bucks, Antetokounmpo will help coach the All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday and then cheer on his World teammates on Sunday. The perennial All-Star, who is averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds and 5.6 assists this season, had been the subject of trade rumors leading up last week’s deadline.
His availability to Milwaukee, which currently sits 12th in the Eastern Conference, is another matter of intrigue. The Bucks could make a push for a play-in spot when he’s ready to go but it’s also possible they may limit his availability or even shut him down in order to improve their lottery chances.
Fox will be making his second All-Star appearance — his first came in 2023 with Sacramento. Fox is averaging 19.4 points, 6.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 32 minutes per game while appearing in 45 games.
He’ll give San Antonio, the team sitting in second place in the West, another All-Star representative along with Victor Wembanyama. The Stripes team will be coached by the Spurs’ Mitch Johnson.
They ran out of acceptable foreign replacements? Now they moving players if they even have a hint of something else.
I thought that castle was more deserving if you look at the stats this season, but truthfully, Fox is the teams number two guy. He gets his numbers efficiently, with a very low usage rate, and he gets the team its best looks down the stretch.
Hopefully next season in San Antonio will have three All-Stars again! Who knows maybe the year after they break a record with four as Dylan Harper continues to trend up?
Fox is a horrible replacement. Lauri Markannen, MPJ, hell even James Harden are more deserving
Nobody will be watching the ASG anyway so this really is a non-story.