Why Suns’ Monty Williams is coaching Team LeBron in 2022 NBA All-Star Game

For a second consecutive year, we’ll get Team LeBron vs. Team Durant at the NBA All-Star Game, as LeBron James and Kevin Durant were again the leading vote-getters in their respective conferences.

But who will be manning the sidelines?

As in years past, coaches for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game will be decided by the standings. The head coach of the team with the West’s best record on Sunday, Feb. 6 will be tabbed to coach Team LeBron while the head coach of the team with the East’s best record on Sunday, Feb. 6 will coach Team Durant.

Per NBA rules, last year’s All-Star Game coaches are ineligible to coach this year, disqualifying Jazz head coach Quin Snyder and 76ers head coach Doc Rivers.

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Who will coach in the 2022 NBA All-Star Game? A recent streak from the league’s hottest team has resulted in Team LeBron finding out first.

Who are the coaches for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game?

Team LeBron: Monty Williams, Suns

Fresh off of an appearance in the 2021 NBA Finals, Williams has gotten the Suns out to a historic start in his third season at the helm.

Because of their historic pace, Williams and his staff earned the right to lead Team LeBron by clinching the West’s best record through games played on Feb. 6, doing so a week ahead of time. With a win over the Spurs on Jan. 30, the Suns picked up their 10th consecutive win to move to 40-9 on the season, reaching a win total that no other Western Conference team could reach in the next week.

Williams will coach in the All-Star Game for the first time in his career and becomes the first Suns head coach to coach an All-Star Game since Mike D’Antoni in 2007. He will be joined by his coaching staff, which features Kevin Young, Mark Bryant, Bryan Gates, Brian Randle, Randy Ayers, Michael Ruffin, Steve Scalzi and Jarrett Jack.

Team Durant: TBD

With 2.5 games separating the No. 1 and No. 6 seeds in the Eastern Conference through games played on Jan. 30, it could be a photo finish to decide who leads Team Durant.

Among coaches that could lead Team Durant are the Heat’s Erik Spoelstra, the Bulls’ Billy Donovan and the Cavaliers’ J.B. Bickerstaff.