Feb. 8 (UPI) -- The "Greek Freak" got in a lighthearted jab on LeBron James, calling him out for tampering during the 2019 NBA All-Star Draft.
James and Giannis Antetokounmpo were the captains of the squads and tasked with "drafting" the best of the best NBA players to join their respective squads for the Feb. 17 clash in Charlotte, N.C.
Anthony Davis was linked to James' Los Angeles Lakers in the weeks leading up to Thursday's NBA trade deadline, but no move occurred. Davis was fined $50,000 in January for a public trade demand. He is signed with the New Orleans Pelicans through next season and has a player option worth $28.7 million in 2020.
NBA pundits have criticized James and the Lakers' front office for tampering when it comes to Davis joining the Western Conference power.
So, when James decided to take Davis with his second pick in Thursday's draft for the midseason exhibition, Antetokounmpo had some words.
"With my first pick in the second round, I'm going with Anthony Davis," James said on the TNT broadcast.
"You're sure you want him to be your teammate," TNT host Ernie Johnson said.
"I'm very sure of that," James said tongue-in-cheek.
"Isn't that tampering?" Antetokounmpo asked.
James and Johnson had a laugh at the sequence before Antetokounmpo made his next pick. James took Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant with his first pick. He also drafted Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. James' draftees also included Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, Russell Westbrook, LaMarcus Aldridge, Karl-Anthony Towns, Bradley Beal and longtime friend Dwyane Wade.
He later traded Westbrook to Antetokounmpo in exchange for Ben Simmons.
During the trade talks, TNT analyst and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley took another jab at James' Lakers, referencing the fact that the team made the majority of its roster available in trying to pry the superstar from New Orleans.
"Well I think the best way to do this is for Giannis to trade everybody on his bench for Anthony Davis," Barkley said.
Antetokounmpo drafted Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, Paul George and Kemba Walker as his starers. The "Greek Freak" also picked up Khris Middleton, Nikola Jokic, Blake Griffin, D'Angelo Russell, Nikola Vucevic, Kyle Lowry and Dirk Nowtizki, in addition to Simmons.
