Kevin Durant will not play in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. Despite making it to Salt Lake City a little later this month as one of the frontcourt players selected out of the Eastern Conference, the knee injury that has kept Durant sidelined since January 12 will prevent him from suiting up in the game, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant (MCL sprain) will not play in the All-Star game on Feb. 19 in Salt Lake City, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 7, 2023
Durant suffered the injury against the Miami Heat when Ben Simmons blocked an attempted layup by Jimmy Butler and Butler fell into the Brooklyn Nets star’s right leg. While it was originally announced that Durant would miss at least two weeks due to the MCL sprain, he hasn’t played in approximately four weeks.
Earlier in the day, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that the expectation is Durant — who has not been cleared for contact yet — will not return to the Nets’ lineup until after the break. Brooklyn’s first game back is on Feb. 24 against the Chicago Bulls.
With eight days until the All-Star break starts for the Nets, Kevin Durant (MCL sprain) isn’t expected to return to team’s lineup until post-break, sources tell ESPN. Jacque Vaughn told reporters that there’s still no timetable for a return. https://t.co/mmkvOGahne
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 7, 2023
This injury means that Durant continues his unfortunate streak of having to miss the All-Star Game due to knocks, as he has not been able to play in the game since 2019. While the NBA has not announced a replacement for Durant, Philadelphia 76ers star and All-Star reserve Joel Embiid came in fourth place in voting and would presumably be next in line to earn a starting nod.