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Milwaukee Bucks: 5 events at All-Star Weekend where Bucks could compete

By Josh Cornelissen

NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 19: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Eastern Conference All-Star Team drives to the basket against the Western Conference All-Star Team during the NBA All-Star Game as part of the 2017 NBA All Star Weekend on February 19, 2017 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 19: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Eastern Conference All-Star Team drives to the basket against the Western Conference All-Star Team during the NBA All-Star Game as part of the 2017 NBA All Star Weekend on February 19, 2017 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images /

1. All-Star Game

Last season Giannis Antetokounmpo went from intriguing young player to bona fide star, and it showed in the All-Star voting results for last year’s event. Among Eastern Conference players, only Kyrie Irving and LeBron James amassed more votes than Antetokounmpo’s 1.6 million.

Those votes were enough to propel him into the starting lineup for the Eastern Conference All-Stars — and then some. The next highest player after Antetokounmpo was Jimmy Butler, who received 691,000 votes, nearly a million fewer than the Bucks’ budding star. Butler is also no longer playing in the Eastern Conference, providing Antetokounmpo with even less competition to defend his throne.

Alongside Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee has a pair of players that might just garner All-Star buzz themselves. Since acquiring Eric Bledsoe the Bucks have a positive record, and he has been strong if not dominant at the ends of games, often ceding the ball to Antetokounmpo or Khris Middleton. But he has been efficient and digs deep on defense, a necessary component in a Jason Kidd system. For viewing appeal, Bledsoe can get up for highlight dunks as well.

The other candidate is Khris Middleton, the Bucks’ erstwhile Robin, who is second on the team in scoring with 20.7 points per game. He is putting up career highs in points, rebounds and assists for a team that is firmly in the playoff hunt.

There is both an opportunity and a challenge to making the All-Star game for both Bledsoe and Middleton. While five of last year’s All-Star selection in the East won’t be on the team this season due to either changing conferences or injury, there are newcomers as well pushing for a spot. Joel Embiid, Kristaps Porzingis and Victor Oladipo are all nearly locks to make their first All-Star games.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: Losses to bad teams hurting long-term goals

To get a second All-Star, Milwaukee may have to increase its level of play over the next month and prove to the coaches the team deserves a second representative. Assuming it does, a frontrunner between Middleton and Bledsoe may emerge naturally. Regardless, the Bucks’ superstar will certainly be front and center in representing his team on All-Star Sunday.

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