Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen is getting an All-Star promotion.
On Friday, the NBA announced the three players who will replace the injured Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Zion Williamson as starters in the Feb. 19 All-Star Game, and Markkanen will join Joel Embiid and Ja Morant in that group.
With the promotions of those three, there are three reserve spots to fill, and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported Friday that those spots will go to Anthony Edwards, Pascal Siakam and De’Aaron Fox.
The NBA formally announced that a short time later.
Markkanen and Morant will join LeBron James, Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic as Western Conference starters Embiid will join Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum and Kyrie Irving as starters from the East, although players won’t be playing by conference.
Markkanen is averaging 24.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game this season.
When Durant and Irving were traded by the Brooklyn Nets this week to the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks, respectively, there was question about what conference it would be considered they are from for the ASG’s purposes, and Friday’s news indicates they will still be considered East All-Stars.