DeMarcus Cousins will not make this year’s All-Star Game as an injury replacement. New NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has decided to replace Kobe Bryant with New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis instead.
This will be the first All-Star appearance for the second-year big man out of New Orleans. Davis is averaging 20.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and a league-leading 3.3 blocks in 40 games for the Pelicans.
In comparison, Cousins is averaging 22.7 points and 11.6 rebounds in 42 games this season. Along with All-Stars LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love, he’s one of three players to currently average at least 22 points and 11 rebounds this year.
When Silver visited Sacramento on Wednesday, he had not yet made a decision on who would replace Bryant. The new commissioner said that he would rely on the judgement of Rod Thorn, NBA president of basketball operations, to make his selection.
Thunder head coach Scott Brooks, who will coach the West squad, will determine who replaces Bryant in the starting lineup. Bryant, who’s played only six games this season because of injuries to his left achilles and left knee, received 988,884 votes from fans to earn his 16th All-Star selection.
The 63rd NBA All-Star Game will be played at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 5 pm PT.
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