Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden selected to 2018-19 All-NBA First Team
Thursday 23 May 2019 20:22, UK
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Houston Rockets guard James Harden have been unanimously selected to the 2018-19 All-NBA First Team.
Antetokounmpo and Harden both received All-NBA First Team votes on all 100 ballots to finish with 500 points each.
This marks the first All-NBA First Team honour for Antetokounmpo, a two-time Second Team member. Harden earns his fifth First Team nod, including his third in a row as a unanimous selection.
The 2018-19 All-NBA First Team also features Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (482 points; 91 First Team votes), Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George (433 points; 71 First Team votes) and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (411 points; 59 First Team votes).
Curry is an All-NBA First Team selection for the third time. George, a four-time Third Team honouree, makes his First Team debut. Jokic has been named to his first All-NBA Team.
Antetokounmpo, Harden and George are the three finalists for the 2018-19 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award. The winner will be revealed at the 2019 NBA Awards in the early hours of Tuesday, June 25 at 2am. The third annual NBA Awards, honouring this season's top performers, will take place at Barker Hangar in Los Angeles.
The 2018-19 All-NBA Second Team consists of Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (375 points), Warriors forward Kevin Durant (358), Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (306), Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (242) and Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving (195).
The 2018-19 All-NBA Third Team is made up of Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (178 points), Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin (115), Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (111), Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (89) and Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (51).
James has tied the NBA record for most All-NBA selections with 15, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan. Walker, an eight-year veteran, has earned his first All-NBA honour.
The All-NBA Teams were selected by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The media voted for All-NBA First, Second and Third Teams by position with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis. Voters selected two guards, two forwards and one center for each team, choosing players at the position they play regularly. Players who received votes at multiple positions were slotted at the position where they received the most votes.
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