Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic is a starter in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game

Jan 27, 2023 - 9:14 PM

The accolades continue to pile up for Luka Doncic.

The Dallas Mavericks’ 23-year-old superstar has been named a starter in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game, the NBA announced on Thursday. The NBA’s annual celebration of its top players will take place on February 19th at Vivant Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. The game can be seen on TNT.

Doncic will be starting for the Western Conference alongside Steph Curry, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, and Zion Williamson. Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, and Donovan Mitchell are the Eastern Conference starters.

This is Doncic’s fourth consecutive All-Star selection, tying him with Rolando Blackman for second-most in Mavericks history. Dirk Nowitzki has the most selections with 14, but Doncic surpasses him in starts with this selection. Nowitzki only started All-Star Games twice.

Doncic finished second in fan voting, which is 50 percent of the NBA’s formula to elect starters, while grabbing first in both player and media voting, which are 25 percent of the formula each. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Isiah Thomas, Anthony Davis, and now Doncic are the only players to receive four All-Star berths before turning 24. That’s quite a list.

Through 45 games, Doncic is averaging 33 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game. He’s shooting almost 50 percent from the floor, and 35 percent from deep. He’s also averaging 1.5 steals per game.

Donic missed out on being an All-Star starter last year, coming into the season out of shape and struggling earlier. But this year he left no doubt as to whether he deserved to start the NBA’s showcase game. He put up a 60 point triple-double against the Houston Rockets, and had more 50-point games (three) in the span of five games than Nowitzki had in his entire career (two).