For the first time since 2014, the Minnesota Timberwolves have a participant in the NBA All-Star Game.
More impressively, they’ll send two to the event for the first time since 2004.
As reported by the reliable Chris Haynes of ESPN, and confirmed to Zone Coverage by a source, Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns have been selected as All-Star reserves – by a vote of NBA coaches – out of a very deep pool of Western Conference talent.
First, amidst a series of tweets by Haynes and Yahoo Sports writer Shams Charania, came the Butler news.
Minutes later, the Towns announcement came.
This marks the fourth straight trip for Butler, whose last three appearances came with the Bulls in the Eastern Conference. This is Towns’ first appearance.
While Butler has been seen by most as a lock for the majority of the season, Towns likely wouldn’t have garnered consideration had it not been for his major outburst in the last month and a half.
But in a new twist this year, the pair of teammates getting a selected does not necessarily mean they’ll be teammates on Feb. 18.
In an attempt to spice up the game, the NBA has opted to adopt a playground-style draft to pick its teams. The leading vote-getters in each conference – this year it’ll be LeBron James and Stephen Curry – will pick from the pool of selected players in each conference.
This draft will not be televised.
The official announcement will be made on Tuesday at 6 p.m. on TNT.
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