Embiid, Morant head All-Star reserve class

Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Portland’s Damian Lillard had to have known they were going to the All-Star Game.

Players averaging more than 30 points per game typically don’t have to worry about not hearing their name called.

Other players — like Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton and Utah’s Lauri Markkanen — had reason for concern.

NBA coaches made them very happy. And probably made a few other guys very unhappy.

The reserves for the

Feb. 19 All-Star Game in Salt Lake City were announced Thursday night.

From the Eastern Conference, it was Miami’s Bam Adebayo, Embiid, Haliburton, Boston’s Jaylen Brown, Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan, Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday and New York’s Julius Randle.

Even for a now six-time All-Star like DeRozan, it still matters.

“It’s everything,” DeRozan said. “I just hope anybody out there, whatever field you work in, never listens to the outside noise, to people doubting you, counting you out, everything. As long as you’re true to yourself, believe in yourself, you keep putting in the work with a genuine heart and genuine passion, you’ll be rewarded.”

From the Western Conference, the picks were Gilgeous-Alexander, Lillard, Memphis teammates Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., Markkanen, Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George.

“Every single year, starter or not, I’m competitive,” Embiid said. “Obviously you want to be the best. I felt like I put myself in position to be up there and the best.”

The reserves are selected by the 30 NBA head coaches, who each cast ballots for seven players from their own conference.