HOUSTON – Tonight, the NBA announced that Houston Rockets guard Russell Westbrook was named a reserve for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, which takes place in Chicago on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. CT and will be televised by TNT. The reserves were chosen by head coaches from their respective conference. The 2020 NBA All-Star Draft will be televised by TNT on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. CT.
Westbrook has now been an All-Star in nine of the past 10 seasons, only missing selection in 2013-14 when he was limited to 46 games played. Last week, James Harden was voted a starter for the All-Star Game, giving Houston two representatives for the first time since 2013-14.
In his first season as a Rocket, Westbrook is averaging 26.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.61 steals. He is on pace for his fourth season averaging at least 25.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, and 7.0 apg. Only LeBron James (9 times; on pace for 10th) and Oscar Robertson (6 times) have accomplished that feat more times in NBA history.
Westbrook has scored at least 20 points in each of his past 21 games played while averaging 30.5 ppg on 49.8% shooting over that span. That is the longest streak by a Rocket besides Harden since a 24-game span by Hakeem Olajuwon in 1994-95. Westbrook has scored 30-plus points in eight of his past nine games played and 13 times overall this season. Since Harden joined the Rockets in 2012-13, no other teammate has scored 30-plus points more than 10 times and not more than five times in a single season.
Earlier this season, Westbrook surpassed Magic Johnson for the second-most triple-doubles in NBA history. Westbrook needs 88 more points to become the 46th player in NBA history to have reached 20,000 career points; Harden became the 45th player earlier this month. Westbrook is looking to join James and Robertson as the only players in NBA history with at least 20,000 points, 7,000 assists, and 6,000 rebounds.