so there will be … nine new kids in Chicago, it doesn’t make all of it younger

It was an observation that quickly struck our mind when reading the last guests for the next All-Star Game. Three “rookies” among the replacements in the East, the same in the West, and adding the three new kids already assured of their participation after being solicited by the fans … these are therefore nine new faces that will represent their franchise on the 16th next February in Chicago. Definitely, the NBA is clearly changing in 2020.

If the usual crowned heads will obviously be present in two weeks in Chicago, LeBron James and co. on the other hand will see a whole slew of new faces, further proof that the NBA is making its revolution, or at least that it is today taking a hell of a generational turn. Aim instead:

• Luka Doncic
• Trae Young
• Donovan mitchell
• Jayson Tatum
• Bam Adebayo
• Pascal Siakam
• Rudy Gobert
• Brandon ingram
• Domantas Sabonis

Nine new faces, just that. Big up at the promos 2016 (Ingram, Siakam and Sabonis join Ben Simmons among the stars), 2017 (Donovan Mitchell, Bam Adebayo and Jayson Tatum) and 2018 (Trae Young and Luka Doncic), and in the middle of it all our good old Rudy Gobert would almost pass for a veteran.

Nine is a lot, more than a third of the two rosters for the maths, but by no means the trend has prevailed over the real reason for the presence of all these new heads. Because we speak for Luka and Trae of two players who reach, in their second season, exceptional statistical heights and almost never seen for players their age, we speak for Mitchell and Gobert of the shock duo of one of the best teams of the League, we speak for the duo Adebayo / Ingram of the two favorites for the trophy of MIP 2020, while Pascal Siakam is MIP in title and started his season as an MVP (before marking a little the step), that Domantas Sabonis represents the Pacers institution in all that it has of its own and that Jayson Tatum begins to get dangerously close to the Kobe mold for his third season only among the greats.

Nothing to say then, all this little world amply deserves its place in the middle of the stars, and it is therefore a wind of freshness that will blow in February on Chicago, under the eyes of a Mamba who will probably appreciate where he is. progressive takeover of this new generation. And you know what ? It almost makes you want to have a youth versus old match, just to see if cheekiness can – already – trump experience. Because if you take the nine guys up there, and add Ben Simmons, Giannis and Joel Embiid, not sure that the old guys are doing the smart things too long …

Make way for young people this year, and let’s argue that if all these rookies are there it is that they necessarily deserved it as much or more than the others. At a time when a legend has just left us it is now time to celebrate his new disciples, a page closes and another opens, and the main interested party will probably be very proud of it.

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