Picking the 2022-23 NBA All-Star rosters from top to bottom

Picking the Western Conference All-Star Roster

Another 12 players will get chosen from the Western Conference, and while the list is easier to pare down than in the East, it’s still unfair that we aren’t picking 15 players. That seems like a minimum expansion that should take place.

Western Conference Starters

Stephen Curry, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic

There are three guards who demand to be placed among the starters, and since Luka Doncic is 6’7″ and primarily defends forwards he gets moved into a frontcourt spot. He and Jokic are having ballistic offensive seasons, with the difference being that the Denver Nuggets are leading the West and the Dallas Mavericks are crashing into the Play-In Tournament.

Stephen Curry missed a number of games but is back healthy, and his shooting splits are once again something special. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has taken another step and is killing opponents, and his Oklahoma City Thunder are making other West teams sweat their assumed playoff berth. Finally, LeBron James is having the kind of year most 18-year-old only dream of, and James is doing it at 38.

Frontcourt Reserves

Anthony Davis, Domantas Sabonis, Zion Williamson

Domantas Sabonis is a lock here, running the offense and controlling the glass for a Sacramento Kings team in third place in the Western Conference. The other two are trickier selections; when healthy, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson have been top-15 players at worst. Yet both have played a paltry number of games and are currently injured; at some point the games / minutes played has to matter. They get in for now, but both are likely to be replaced in the game itself by healthier stars.

Backcourt Reserves

Ja Morant, Damian Lillard

Fitting three guards onto the starting lineup still did Ja Morant dirty, as the explosive young guard is leading the Memphis Grizzlies to an excellent record and innumerable highlight reels. Damian Lillard has continued to improve as the season has gone on and, while the Trail Blazers are not winning every game, Lillard’s explosive scoring bursts can completely overwhelm opponents.

Wild Cards

Lauri Markkanen, Devin Booker

Devin Booker falls into a similar camp as Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson, currently injured without a clear return date reported on. He is a candidate to be replaced in the actual game due to his injury. Lauri Markkanen, on the other hand, is no throw-in; the Finnish forward is having a career-best shooting season and propelling the Utah Jazz into the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.

Given that as many as three All-Stars could miss the game, it’s pertinent to point to those who “just missed” the cut. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Anthony Edwards are the next two up, with Aaron Gordon and Draymond Green next after that.

Missed the Cut: De’Aaron Fox, Aaron Gordon, Jaren Jackson Jr., Draymond Green, Anthony Edwards