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Sixers’ Ben Simmons joins Joel Embiid as Eastern Conference All-Star; Jimmy Butler not selected by coaches

The point guard was named as a reserve. Jimmy Butler did not make the cut.

Ben Simmons is guarded by the Lakers' Brandon Ingram  during Tuesday's win.
Ben Simmons is guarded by the Lakers' Brandon Ingram during Tuesday's win.Read moreMark J. Terrill / AP

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Ben Simmons said being named an NBA All-Star wasn’t necessarily his main goal.

“It’s one of those goals that if I’m reaching where I want to be, it’s going to happen,” the 76ers point guard said.

Simmons learned that it happened Thursday while riding on the team bus en route to the Oracle Center from a downtown San Francisco hotel. During a FaceTime conversation with a friend, he watched the TNT show announcing his being named an Eastern Conference reserve for the All-Star Game.

The reserves, selected by the league’s coaches, were announced 3 1/2 hours before tip-off of the Sixers’ game against the Golden State Warriors. The All-Star Game will be on Feb. 17 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.

Simmons will join Joel Embiid, who was named an Eastern Conference starter for the second consecutive season on Jan. 24. This marks the first time the Sixers had multiple All-Stars in same season since Allen Iverson and Dikembe Mutombo in 2002.

The 22-year-old Simmons is also the second player born in Melbourne, Australia, to be named an NBA All-Star, joining Kyrie Irving (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2019). However, he’s being treated as the first once back in his home country. Irving moved to United States with his American parents at the age of 2. He also represented the United States in the 2016 Olympics.

“I know I got a lot of people back home that voted for me,” Simmons said, “and a lot of people back in Australia that have been very supportive of me. So I appreciate them.”

But some might argue this was overdue.

“I think he should have been an All-Star last year,” Sixers reserve point guard T.J. McConnell said. “He’s proven game in and game out that he’s an All-Star type player. He has a bright, bright, bright future playing in this league for a long time.”

Entering Thursday, Simmons was averaging 16.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. He has eight triple-doubles.

The 2018 rookie of the year was passed over as an All-Star Game injury replacement in favor of Kemba Walker and Goran Dragic last season.

Simmons, a 6-foot-10, 240-pounder, was disappointed by the snubs. “I don’t really know what an All-Star is anymore," he said at the time. "I mean, if it was about win-lose, you picked [guard Goran] Dragic, obviously, and you pick Kemba, whose team is seven wins under us. It is what it is, but my stats don’t lie.”

Simmons, however, didn’t have an “It’s about time” moment upon learning he was an All-Star.

“I’m excited,” he said. “I’m happy. I’m grateful. I’m not worried about last year. That was last year. I’m excited, but I’m more excited to come play tonight.”

Swingman Jimmy Butler was not voted an All-Star for the first time in five seasons. The Sixers acquired him from the Minnesota Timberwolves via a trade in November. He made the All-Star Game last season with the Timberwolves. Butler also was an All-Star with the Chicago Bulls the previous three seasons. Butler is a candidate to replace injured Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo.

On Jan. 24, Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (West) and Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (East) led the 10 starters chosen in voting by fans, players, and a panel of reporters. The fans accounted for 50 percent of the vote total, with the media members and players accounting for 25 percent each.

James and Antetokoumpo will serve as team captains after finishing as the top vote-getters in their conferences.

The captains will select the rosters from the starters and reserves Feb. 7 on TNT. Each captain must pick four players from the other eight starters.