Indiana Pacers star Domantas Sabonis will replace injured Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant in the All-Star Game, the NBA announced Friday.
The news came shortly after the Nets announced that Durant, who has been named as an appetizer and team captain, will remain with a strained left thigh muscle through the All-Star bend.
Durant is replaced as an appetizer by Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum – the top forward among reserves in the Eastern Conference – with Sabonis taking Tatum’s place among the reserves. It remains unclear whether Durant will remain as a team captain responsible for selecting players even though he does not play in the game.
Sabonis (24) scored a career-high 21.1 points and 5.7 assists to put together 11.7 rebounds per game this season. He is second in the league in doubles with 24 and has scored three triples for the 15-15 Pacers.
Sabonis, who earned $ 75 million for a four-year extension in the first year, earns a $ 1.3 million bonus for the All-Star game as a replacement, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
This is Sabonis’ second All-Star pick.