CHICAGO – He’s been a big reason why the Bulls have been one of the great turnaround stories in the NBA this year.
On Thursday, the fans, players, and media showed just how much of an impact DeMar DeRozan has had on the Bulls during his first season in Chicago.
Guard DeMar DeRozan was named a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Star team on Thursday for the mid-season classic that will be played at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland on Sunday, February 20th.
This is the fifth time that DeRozan has been named to the All-Star team, marking the second-straight year the team has had a player in the All-Star Game. Guard Zach LaVine was elected to the game as a reserve in 2021 and it’s expected he’ll be named to the roster next week.
He’ll be joined by the Hawks’ Trae Young in the backcourt with the Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo, Sixers Joel Embiid, and the Nets Kevin Durant joining them in the Eastern Conference front court.
DeRozan has enjoyed a renaissance in his 13th NBA season and his first in Chicago, averaging 26.4 points, give rebounds, and 4.8 assists per contest. He’s blended in well with LaVine as he’s helped reduce some of the load on the guard that was on him in previous years.
He’s been particularly strong in the fourth quarter and had been key to helping the Bulls pull out a number of close victories en route to a 30-17 record, which is good for second place in the Eastern Conference.