Bulls guard Zach LaVine felt more like a stowaway than a participant.
Last season, Chicago hosted the All-Star Game and LaVine had the numbers to play in it. Instead, he was snubbed for the game and relegated to the three-point contest.
A season later, LaVine’s basketball life couldn’t be any different. If the 2020 All-Star Game was his motivation, the 2021 All-Star Game in Atlanta was him serving notice.
‘‘This isn’t just a pit stop for me; this is something I want to continue happening,’’ LaVine said of his first appearance in the game.
And it wasn’t a bad debut.