Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dallas guard Luka Doncic highlighted the league’s All-NBA team announced on Tuesday night.
Jokic, the 2021-22 NBA MVP, was not the leading vote getter for the team. That honor went to Antetokounmpo who received all 100 votes for the first team at one of the forward spots.
Jokic and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, who finished second in the MVP voting, split votes as the first-team center. Both players were eligible at forward, and some voters opted to put both players on the first team that way. Embiid made the second team at the center spot.
Antetokounmpo was the only unanimous selection, and he becomes the first player over the last 50 years to be a unanimous selection to the All-NBA first team in four consecutive seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Doncic picked up his third first-team nod prior to turning 24, becoming just the third player to do so as he joins Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan and Max Zaslofsky.
Joining Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Doncic on the first team were Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker. According to the league, it’s the first time the first team is made up entirely of players 27 years or younger since 1954-1955.
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It was the first selection to the first team for both players and the first for Booker overall. Tatum made the All-NBA third team in 2019-20.
Tatum is the first Celtics player to make All-NBA 1st Team since Kevin Garnett in 2007-2008 and the youngest Celtics player to make All-NBA 1st Team since Larry Bird in 1979-1980. While Embiid had the second team center spot, the guard spots went to Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Memphis’ Ja Morant and the forward spots were Durant and Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan. The third team was comprised of Phoenix guard Chris Paul, Atlanta guard Trae Young, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, Toronto forward Pascal Siakam and Minnesota center Karl-Anthony Towns.
James picked up his 18th All-NBA selection, extending his own NBA record for most all-time ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan at 15. James also becomes the first player to make the All-NBA team in his 19th season or later.
Paul joined Bryant as the only guards to make an All-NBA team following his 17th season or later.
With Booker and Towns both making the All-NBA teams, they are both eligible to sign four-year, $211 million super max extensions this summer that would begin in the 2024-2025 seasons. The extensions would start at $47.1 million that season and top out at $58.4 million in 2027-2028.
Young’s selection also means his rookie max extension that was already signed increases from $176.9 million to $212.3 million. The extra $6.1 million in 2022-2023, which pushes his cap hit from $30.5 million to $36.6 million pushes the Hawks to $7.8 million over the luxury tax.
They could go under if they waive Danilo Gallinari. The forward’s $21.5M contract is guaranteed for $4.5M with the balance becoming protected on July 29.
Despite the fact that Morant made All-NBA, he is not eligible for the five-year, $223 million rookie extension this offseason. He’s eligible for a five-year, $186 million extension but it would jump to $223 million if he makes the 2022-2023 All-NBA team next season.
