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SALT LAKE CITY — The stars will shine brightly in Utah tonight.
That's because Gordon Hayward was named to the 2017 Western Conference All-Star team, according to the NBA. The announcement marks the first time the Utah Jazz have had an All-Star since Deron Williams in 2011.
Gordon Hayward is leading the Utah Jazz in scoring with 21.8 points per game, shooting 46 percent from the field, 40 percent from the 3-point line, and 87 percent on free throws. He's averaging 5.7 rebounds per game, while his turnovers have dropped to just 2.1 per game. His points and rebound numbers are at career highs.
He's also played very solidly on the defensive end of the floor. Opposing matchups are averaging just a 9.8 PER against Hayward, according to 82games.com. League average is a 15 PER, so this is excellent.
Meanwhile, Rudy Gobert was left off the squad, despite being perhaps the league's best defensive player. He's certainly the league's best rim protector, contesting a league-leading 7.9 shots per game within 5 feet, and allowing opponents to shoot just 47 percent from there, 13 percent below their average. He leads the league in blocks, with 2.5 per game. He's also led the Jazz to a 101.4 defensive rating, which is good for second in the NBA.
That being said, Gobert sent congratulations to his more fortunate teammate:
Congrats to my bro @gordonhayward for his 1st all-star selection! 100% deserved. — Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) January 27, 2017
And Hayward's proud dad also congratulated him on Twitter:
Congrats Gordon Daniel! Very proud of you son. Your hard work paid off. Keep it up! #improveeverydayhttps://t.co/OKLv2lmYNO — Gordon Scott Hayward (@GScottHayward) January 27, 2017
Hayward will travel to New Orleans, and play for the Western Conference in the All-Star game on February 19.
Here are the players who made the Western Conference All-Star reserves:
Western Conference: Russell Westbrook, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan, Gordon Hayward
Eastern Conference: Isaiah Thomas, John Wall, Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry, Paul George, Kemba Walker, Paul Millsap
