Antetokounmpo, Harden in NBA team of the year, but no LeBron
FILE – Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks is defended by James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets during the second half of a game at Fiserv Forum on March 26, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stacy Revere/Getty Images/AFP
Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden led the voting for the NBA’s First Team of the Year but LeBron James missed out on a spot for the first time since 2007, results showed Thursday.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Antetokounmpo and Houston Rockets guard James Harden advanced to the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award along with Oklahoma City Thunder’s Paul George.
The 24-year-old Antetokounmpo, Harden and George were joined in the NBA’s team of the year by Golden State star Stephen Curry and Denver’s Nikola Jokic.
Antetokounmpo, who is nearly seven-foot tall and known as the ‘Greek Freak’, and Harden were both unanimous first-team selections.
However, there was no place in the first team selection for Los Angeles Lakers’ James.
James missed out on the NBA playoffs this year for the first time since 2005 after a disappointing, injury-hit first season with the Lakers.
James, however, did earn a place on the NBA’s third-team of the year, extending his streak of 15 consecutive All-NBA selections.
The second All-NBA team meanwhile comprised Damian Lillard and Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard at forward and Joel Embiid at center.
