Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant goes up for a shot against the Mavericks in Dallas on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
For the first time in 14 years, a Phoenix Sun has been selected as an All-Star starter. The team’s leading scorer, Kevin Durant, was chosen a starter for the Western Conference in the Feb. 18 game in Indianapolis.
It’s the 14th All-star selection for Durant, who’s playing his first full season as a Sun. He will be the franchise’s first player to start in the All-Star Game since Amar’e Stoudemire and Steve Nash in 2010.
Durant is one of only 11 players in NBA history to be picked 14 times.
“Thanks to the fans, media and most importantly my peers for voting me into my 14th all star game,” Durant wrote on social media. “Can’t wait to lock in and hoop with some of the greatest ever in Indy.”
This year’s All-Star Game goes back to the traditional East-vs.-West format, which was utilized in the first 66 NBA midseason classics. The most recent six saw the leading vote-getters from each conference serve as captains who got to draft their teams; Lebron James served as one of the captains all six times, with Giannis Antetokounmpo the other captain three times, Durant twice and Stephen Curry once.
But that format is gone, as is the “target score” format that featured an untimed fourth quarter in the last four All-Star Games. League officials said entering the season that they have been stressing to players the importance of improving the quality of the All-Star Game after last year’s game drew the worst television numbers since such metrics were charted.
Durant is averaging 29.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game for the Suns this season.