SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder will coach Team LeBron in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game on March 7, the NBA announced Friday.
Snyder will join Frank Layden as the second Utah Jazz coach to win Western Conference All-Star coaching duties. Layden coached in the 1984 All-Star game.
The All-Star teams' head coaches are chosen by whichever team is ranked #1 in each conference two weeks before the game, and the Jazz have that spot locked in. Doc Rivers of the Philadelphia 76ers is on pace to be the Eastern Conference coach.
While one coach, five starters and seven reserve players are selected from each conference, the game itself is now played with two captains (one from each conference) who pick their teams from the starter and reserve rosters. This format has been in place since 2008.
After receiving the most fan votes, LeBron James and Kevin Durant will captain this year's All-Star game and will pick their rosters March 4 in the "draft."
The other four starters for each conference, who were chosen by a weighted combination of fan votes, player votes and media votes, were announced Thursday. They are:
- West:
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
- East:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
- Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
- Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets
The seven reserves from each conference will be chosen by NBA head coaches on Tuesday. Jazz guard and center Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert see their second All-Star game after being selected for both their first times in 2020. Guards Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson have also been discussed as potential first-time selections this year.
Snyder coached his 500th game with the Jazz on January 27 against the Dallas Mavericks, and has led the team to 24 victories of 29 games so far this season.
He is now five wins away from his 300th career win.
