LaVine joins DeRozan on All-Star team as reserve
Bulls guard Zach LaVine is a two-time NBA All-Star after being named to the 2022 reserves roster Thursday, joining teammate DeMar DeRozan in the Feb. 20 game in Cleveland.
Despite short absences because of COVID-19 and a left knee injury, LaVine has been the cornerstone of the Bulls offense as the team surprisingly entered action Thursday as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 32-18 record.
The additions of DeRozan and Nikola Vučević gave LaVine freedom to create on offense, averaging 24.9 points and 4.3 assists per game. LaVine honed his talents over the summer with the U.S. Olympic team, which won a fourth straight gold medal in Tokyo.
LaVine narrowly missed joining DeRozan on the starting roster for the All-Star Game after being edged out by Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young. Although Young won the media and fan votes, LaVine won the vote among NBA players.
“You see any time that you’re in a position where you’re very, very competitive and you’re in the thick of things, players get rewarded from that,” coach Billy Donovan said. “Zach’s respect across the league by players of his ability and his talent is really incredible.”
LaVine’s selection signals a turning tide for the Bulls, who hadn’t sent multiple players to the All-Star Game since the 201516 season when Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol were selected.
When the guard was picked for the 2021 All-Star Game, it was a symbol of promise for a Bulls team still struggling with the growing pains of a rebuild. But this season, LaVine and DeRozan were long considered shoo-ins for the honor as the Bulls jockey for dominance in the East.
The Bulls could bring a sprawling traveling party to Cleveland. LaVine and DeRozan will play in the All-Star Game while Ayo Dosunmu will compete in the Rising Stars competition alongside fellow rookies, second-year and G League players.
If the Bulls maintain their top spot in the Eastern Conference through Sunday, Donovan and his coaching staff also will travel to Cleveland to lead the East team.
“It would be a great honor to be able to do something like that,” Donovan said. “It speaks to the players and the team, it’s something we all share in because you’ve got to finish in first place in the East. It would be a great honor, but a lot of the credit when something like that happens needs to go to the players because they’re the ones out there performing and playing.”