North Carolina

LeBron, Giannis choose teams for the NBA All-Star Game; playing for Charlotte charities

By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Basketball Writer
By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Basketball Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — LeBron James finally has Anthony Davis as a teammate.

For one game.

His Los Angeles Lakers were unable to swing a deal for Davis, but James drafted the New Orleans Pelicans star on Thursday when he and fellow captain Giannis Antetokounmpo sat down to choose their teams for the Feb. 17 All-Star Game in Charlotte.

Playing for charity

The teams competing in the NBA All-Star Game will be competing for two local charities.

The winning team's charity will receive $350,000, and the loser’s sand dollars and the loser's charity 150,000.

Team Giannis will play for Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.

“It's something that fits me and my family's mission,” Antetokounmpo said. “You know, growing up, we didn't have much. We're so thankful to have an organization that helped us provide us with food on a daily basis.”

Team LeBron has selected to play for Right Moves for Youth Charlotte.

“It's basically giving back to these kids and better their lives throughout high school and also to the future,” James said.

Right Moves for Charlotte sent Channel 9 this statement: "We are extremely humbled and excited to be chosen as Team LeBron's charity. This is an amazing opportunity that will allow Right Moves for Youth to continue providing much-needed support to young people throughout the greater Charlotte community."

Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina sent Channel 9 this statement: "Second Harvest could not be more excited or honored to have been selected as the charity for Team Giannis. Having Kemba (Walker) on the team is an added bonus as he has long supported the work of the food bank.  Kemba and the entire Charlotte Hornets organization have always been committed to helping feed children, seniors, families and veterans in our region and have been amazing allies as we work together to end hunger in the Charlotte region."

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, who grew up in Charlotte, said his foundation will renovate the basketball court at the Naomi Drenan Recreation Center in Charlotte.

Davis told the Pelicans he wanted a trade, and James has made it clear that he'd love to play with him. But for now, their time as teammates will be limited to All-Star weekend.

All-Star Weekend related stories

James chose Kevin Durant with the No. 1 overall pick, as he did last year in the All-Star draft, to be one of his starters. They'll be joined in the Team LeBron starting five by Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. Team Giannis, in addition to Antetokounmpo, will start Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, Paul George and hometown favorite Kemba Walker.

Antetokounmpo took his Milwaukee teammate Khris Middleton with the first pick in the reserve round, along with Nikola Jokic, Ben Simmons, Blake Griffin, D'Angelo Russell, Nikola Vucevic and Kyle Lowry. James took Davis, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, Russell Westbrook, LaMarcus Aldridge, Karl-Anthony Towns and Bradley Beal.

James managed to make a trade, convincing Antetokounmpo to swap Westbrook for Simmons - and give the Bucks' star the chance to have Westbrook and Embiid together, as he said he wanted.

The NBA signed off on the trade.

That left the third round and the decision between the two special additions to the game by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver - those being Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki. James took Wade, his former Miami and Cleveland teammate and longtime close friend. That left Nowitzki for Antetokounmpo's side.

Associated Press

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