New Bulls All-Star Zach LaVine gets another surprise

Zach LaVine, the Bulls’ newest All-Star, thought he was going to answer reporters’ questions when he entered a Zoom call Tuesday night.

Instead, he was greeted by his parents, teammates and other family and friends eager to congratulate him on making his first NBA All-Star Game.

The Bulls posted the video on their Twitter feed.

The league announced All-Star reserves, chosen through voting by NBA head coaches, Tuesday night. LaVine became the Bulls’ first All-Star since Jimmy Butler in 2017.

“Oh what the hell?” a surprised LaVine said when his parents, Paul and Cheryl LaVine, appeared on his computer screen.

“I’m so proud of you,” Cheryl LaVine told her son.

“It’s not everyday hometown heroes go to the big city and become All-Stars,” friend and fellow Washington state native Jamal Crawford said. “You’ve got all of Washington behind you.”

“You’ve always been like a big brother to me,” LaVine told Crawford.

LaVine’s sister Camryn and Bulls teammate Thaddeus Young also joined the call to add their well wishes.

“When I signed here,” Young said, “it’s two things we’ve got to do: make it to the playoffs and get you to be an All-Star. We’re halfway there.”