NBA All-Star Game: East and West starters announced
LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers’ four-time MVP, was named an NBA All-Star starter for a record 21st consecutive time. Three-time Denver Nuggets MVP Nikola Jokic earned another All-Star start, two-time Milwaukee Bucks MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is a starter for the ninth consecutive season, one-time MVP Kevin Durant becomes the seventh player to earn at least 15 All-Star selections, and two-time MVP Steph Curry is an All-Star for the 11th time.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum is an All-Star starter for the fifth consecutive season and is an All-Star for the sixth time in his eight seasons.
And perhaps the NBA’s next MVP, Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, is an All-Star starter for the second consecutive season.
The starters, who are selected by a weighted vote from fans, players and media, were announced Thursday on TNT. The 14 reserves, who are selected by NBA coaches, will be announced Jan. 30 on TNT.
Here are the 2025 NBA All-Star starters for the Feb. 16 game in San Francisco at Golden State’s Chase Center:
2025 NBA Western Conference All-Star starters
Backcourt
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
2024-25 statistics: 32 ppg, 6.1 apg, 5.4 rpg, 2.1 spg, 1.1 bpg, 53% FG, 34.8% 3PT, 90.2% FT
Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors
2024-25 statistics: 22.6 ppg, 6.3 apg, 4.9 rpg, 1.1 spg, 44.9% FG, 40.7% 3PT, 94% FT
Frontcourt
Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
2024-25 statistics: 27.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.4 bpg, 52.3% FG, 38.4% 3PT, 82.9% FT
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
2024-25 statistics: 23.7 ppg, 9.0 apg, 7.5 rpg, 51.3% FG, 39.8% 3PT, 76.3% FT
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
2024-25 statistics: 30.1 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 9.9 apg, 1.9 spg, 56.3% FG, 47.5% 3PT, 81% FT
2025 NBA Eastern Conference All-Star starters
Backcourt
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
2024-25 statistics: 26 ppg, 7.3 apg, 3.0 rpg, 48.6% FG, 39.1% 3PT, 81.7% FT
Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
2024-25 statistics: 23.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg 4.5 apg, 1.4 spg, 44.3% FG, 39.6 3PT, 83.2% FT
Frontcourt
Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
2024-25 statistics: 25.1 ppg, 13.9 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.0 spg, 54.5% FG, 43.3% 3PT, 83.6% FT
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
2024-25 statistics: 31.5 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 6.0 apg, 1.4 bpg, 60.5% FG, 58.7% FT
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
2024-25 statistics: 27.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.3 spg, 45.7% FG, 35.5% 3PT, 79.8% FT
NBA All-Star Game snubs: Who had a case to be a starter?
As always, there are players who made strong cases to start the game, or at least deserved very serious consideration. Still, with only five starting spots per conference, the margins between starting and appearing as a reserve are exceptionally thin.
How are All-Star starters chosen?
Starting in 2017, NBA All-Star starters have been selected by a weighted vote from fans (50%), NBA players (25%) and a media panel (25%). From each conference, there are two backcourt starters and three frontcourt starters. If there’s a tie, the fan vote is the tiebreaker.
Per the NBA, ‘the formula to determine a player’s score is (Fan Rank * 2 + Player Rank + Media Rank)/4.’ For example, if Player A is second in fan voting, third in player voting and third in media voting, his weighted score is 2.5.
Last year, Damian Lillard and Jalen Brunson were tied for second with a weighted score of 3.75, but because Lillard was No. 3 in fan voting and Brunson No. 5, Lillard got the starting nod.
Jeff Zillgitt’s All-Star starters
Eastern Conference
Backcourt
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, New York’s Jalen Brunson
Frontcourt
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns
Western Conference
Backcourt
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards
Frontcourt
Denver’s Nikola Jokic, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis
Lorenzo Reyes’ All-Star starters
Eastern Conference
Backcourt
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell, New York’s Jalen Brunson
Frontcourt
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns
Western Conference
Backcourt
Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards
Frontcourt
Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis
(This story was updated with new information.)
