George named reserve for All-Star team

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The NBA coaches have spoken. Indiana Pacer Paul George was named Thursday night as a reserve for the Eastern Conference All-Stars. In his third season in the NBA, George will participate in the NBA All-Star Game, Feb. 17, in Houston.

George, a third-year player out of Fresno State, participated in the All-Star weekend festivities in Orlando in the Rising Stars Challenge as well as the Slam Dunk Contest last February.

"This is a great honor, not just for me, but for our coaches, my teammates and the franchise,” said George. “To be selected by the coaches adds something to being an All-Star. But this doesn't happen without our team being successful, so it's more a recognition for our team than just myself."

George becomes the 12th Pacers player to be named to the All-Star team (Don Buse, Billy Knight, Reggie Miller, Detlef Schrempf, Rik Smits, Dale Davis, Jermaine O’Neal, Brad Miller, Ron Artest, Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert are the others). At 22 years old, George is the youngest Pacers player to ever be named an NBA All-Star.

"Paul is a team-guy first as evidenced by his nine assists at Memphis Monday,” said Pacers Head Coach Frank Vogel. “He puts winning above everything else and he'll do whatever it takes: defense, rebounding, perimeter shooting, attacking the basket, creating for others. He is one of the most coachable players I've ever worked with."