The NBA changed the way they categorize players for All-Star voting last season, eliminating the center position (and all others) from the ballot entirely and simply replacing them with either a frontcourt or backcourt player distinction.
The change in category won’t prevent talented big men like Roy Hibbert from making the All Star team, but it will definitely change the way conference coaches approach the starting lineups.
With superstars and the more exciting players getting voted in by fans, Ethan Skolnick of Bleacher Report is saying that you could see LeBron James starting at center for the Eastern Conference All Stars.
The first set of results won’t be released until Thursday, and voting won’t conclude until Jan. 20, with the starters named Jan. 23. But James, Anthony and George are heavy favorites to gain the top three frontcourt spots. All three are technically small forwards, though Anthony and James both play in the post quite a bit. And of the three, James is the one who has actually guarded centers at times.
Therefore, he would be the center by default.
“That is hilarious,” James said. “That is crazy! I would start at center in the All-Star Game? Against Dwight Howard?”