NBA All-Star game draft: LeBron selects Durant first, Giannis takes Curry

Los Angeles Lakers All-Star and team captain LeBron James had the first pick of the NBA All-Star draft and selected Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant.

When it was time to select the reserves, he did not miss his chance to take New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis, who the Lakers tried to acquire at the NBA trade deadline with an offer of six players and two firstround draft picks.

New Orleans said it wasn’t enough. When asked by TNT host Ernie Johnson if he was sure he wanted Davis as a teammate, James replied, “I’m very sure of that.”

“Isn’t that tampering?” rival captain and Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo asked.

James and Antetokounmpo were awarded the team captain honors for being the top vote-getters in each conference.

They drafted rosters from the pool of players voted into the game as starters and selected as reserves from each conference, making their selections regardless of conference affiliation.

The All-Star game will be played Feb. 17 at Charlotte, N.C. It will be broadcast on TNT. Tipoff is 8:15 p.m. ET

Antetokounmpo had the second pick among starters and chose Warriors guard Stephen Curry.

James then took Boston Celtics guard and former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Kyrie Irving second, followed by Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard and Houston Rockets guard James Harden to round out his starters.

Antetokounmpo picked Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid second, followed by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George and Charlotte Bobcats guard Kemba Walker to complete his starting unit.