With starters and the reserves pool already unveiled, commissioner Adam Silver added Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki and Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade to the 2019 NBA All-Star Game as special roster additions.
“Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade embody the best of the NBA: remarkable skill, drive and professionalism as well as a deep devotion to strengthening their communities and growing the game around the world,” Silver said.
“As a global celebration of basketball, our All-Star Game is an ideal setting to salute these first-class NBA champions and Finals MVPs.”
Nowitzki and Wade will be selected in a new third round of the 2019 NBA All-Star Draft, adding a 13th active player to each roster.
Team captains LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks will select from the 10 All-Star Game starters in the first round, 14 reserves in the second round, and between Nowitzki and Wade in the third round.
Ahead of his 14th All-Star selection, Nowitzki ranks seventh on the NBA all-time points list (31,275) and is the career scoring leader among international players. This season, the 40-year-old became the first player to play 21 seasons with the same team — besting Kobe Bryant’s previous record of 20 with the Lakers.
Now a 13-time All-Star himself, Wade has a reputation of performing well in the exhibition game. He earned MVP honors in 2010 before posting a triple-double two years later.
Wade is one of only three players in NBA history to record at least 20,000 points, 5,000 assists, 4,000 rebounds, 1,500 steals, 800 blocked shots and 500 three-pointers — joining James and Michael Jordan.
The 37-year-old has already declared that the 2018-19 NBA season will be his last, while Nowitzki has not yet publicly stated his plans going forward but is also expected to retire.
The 2019 NBA All-Star Game will be aired by TNT on Thursday, Feb. 7 at 4 p.m. PT. — a mere three hours after what should be an active trade deadline.
