NBA All Stars: Aussie superstar Ben Simmons named as reserve for Eastern Conference team

After being snubbed in the fan vote, Ben Simmons got a vote of confidence from the NBA coaches for the second year in a row as the Aussie superstar secured a reserves spot for the NBA All- Star game.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons reacts after grabbing a rebound during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020, in New York. The 76ers won 117-111. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

• NBA salivates over Australia’s next big thing
• Beyonce’s tribute to ‘beloved’ Kobe

Ben Simmons has been named an NBA All-Star.

The Aussie star was snubbed last week as a starter in a vote by fans, current NBA players and media members but NBA coaches on Friday morning (EDT) ensured Simmons would play in the February 16 All-Star game in Chicago.

Simmons was included as one of the Eastern Conference’s seven players coming off the bench.

Watch LIVE coverage of the 2019/20 NBL Season plus up to 7 live NBA games every week with ESPN on KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

Ben Simmons has been in tremendous form for the 76ers.

It is the second consecutive year the Melbourne-born Philadelphia 76ers’ star has made the All-Star game as reserve.

The other Eastern reserves are: Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, Khris Middleton, Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo and Domas Sabonis.

Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, Brandon Ingram, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul are the Western Conference reserves.

The East’s starters are: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pascal Siakam, Joel Embiid, Trae Young and Kemba Walker.

The West’s starters are LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Luka Doncic and James Harden.

Simmons’ hopes of being a starter were decimated by the fan vote, which accounted for 50 per cent of the total.

Fans rated the Philadelphia 76ers’ star as only the eighth best guard in the East, players ranked him fourth and the media third.

Simmons joins a star-studded Eastern Conference line-up.

One of the biggest All-Star omissions this year was Australian-born Kyrie Irving.

The coaches snubbed the six-time All-Star.

Irving was third behind Young and Walker in the combined fan-player-media vote.

James and Antetokounmpo were named All-Star captains and will select their teams, choosing from either conference, in a draft style selection event.

Originally published as NBA All Stars: Aussie superstar Ben Simmons named as reserve for Eastern Conference team