By Lance Tominaga, ESPN Honolulu Web Editor.
It’s All-Star Sunday! Listen to the action later today as LeBron James, Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic and the rest of TEAM LEBRON take on Kevin Durant, James Harden, Joel Embiid, Kawhi Leonard and the rest of TEAM DURANT. We’ll bring you the game live on our sister station, CBS 1500, starting at 2:00 p.m.
In the meantime, take this “Who Am I?” pop quiz and see if you can guess the identities of these NBA All-Stars:
1. I’m a former Pac-12 Player of the Year, NBA Sixth Man of the Year and NBA MVP. And while I’m primarily known as a big-time scorer, I once led the league in assists. In fact, I’m currently leading the league in dimes again this season, averaging 11.1 per game.
2. I am finally making my All-Star Game debut, my 14th season in the league. That’s said to be the longest an NBA player has had to wait for his first All-Star selection. I’m a last-minute replacement for Devin Booker, who is injured. I won’t be lonely, as two of my current teammates will also play in the All-Star Game.
3. I’m a former No. 1 draft pick and NBA Rookie of the Year. This will be my third All-Star Game appearance. Klay Thompson once made nine three-point shots in a single quarter. That’s more than twice the amount of three-pointers than I’ve made in my entire four-year NBA career.
4. I’m making my All-Star Game debut. I’m a former Pac-12 Freshman of the Year who bolted for the NBA after one year of college ball. My final collegiate game was forgettable, as I scored only 4 points and grabbed 2 rebounds before fouling out in a first-round NCAA Tournament loss…to Hawaii.
5. My Dad played in the NBA, and my younger brother is also in the league. Neither of them won an NBA championship, however, while I’ve won three. Oh, and in the entire history of the league, only one player – Ray Allen – has made more three-point shots than I have.
6. This will be my 11th All-Star Game appearance, but most of my pro basketball résumé is about the number “2”: two NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVP Awards, two All-Star Game MVPs and two Olympic gold medals.
7. I’m a two-time league MVP and 1x Defensive Player of the Year. I’m 6-foot-11 but am skilled and agile enough to play all five positions on the floor (and I have). A lot of folks thought that I would become a free agent and sign with a big-market team, but this past December I signed a five-year contract extension to stay with my present team.
8. I was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, but injuries caused me to miss my first two seasons in the league. I think I’ve been worth the wait. This will be my fourth All-Star Game appearance, and people are saying I’m a strong candidate for the NBA MVP Award this year.
9. This will be my second All-Star Game appearance. I was the third overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, but the team that selected me traded me later that day. I’m currently considered as one of the most versatile players in the league. Former NBA guard Mark Jackson called me a mix of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. In fact, I’m the youngest player in history to lead the league in triple-doubles.
10. I was drafted in the first round in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, but was traded to my current team after my rookie season. I hold my team’s record for most rebounds in a game, with 29. I’ll be making my second All-Star Game appearance. Oh, and I put up 32 points and 22 rebounds in the inaugural Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, helping my USC Trojans capture the tournament title.
ANSWERS:
1. James Harden, Brooklyn Nets.
2. Mike Conley, Utah Jazz.
3. Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers.
4. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics.
5. Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors.
6. Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets.
7. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks.
8. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers.
9. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks.
10. Nikola Vucevic, Orlando Magic.
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