The 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend takes place from 14-16 February in San Fransisco, with the main event hosted at Golden State Warriors home stadium at Chase Center. This premier NBA showcase will feature an all-new format splitting the 24 stars into three teams. These teams of eight players each will participate in a mini-tournament against the winner of the NBA Rising Star match. However, choosing NBA All-Stars will remain the same despite the format change.
As usual, votes from fans, other NBA players, and a media panel will determine the starters. Votes from basketball enthusiasts will account for 50%, while votes from the media panel and other players account for 50%. Here are some bold predictions of 10 players likely to feature as starters in the three All-Star teams managed by Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley.
Guard: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Guard: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Forward: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Forward: Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
Forward: LeBron James, LA Lakers
From the first fan voting results, NBA analysts at SportyTrader expect the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend to feature the same starters as 2024. Denver center Nikola Jokic leads the Western Conference stars with 1,422,121 votes after establishing himself as a goalscorer despite the Nugget’s flaws this season. The Serbian is among the top three in rebounds, assists per game, and scores.
NBA analysts also believe Kevin Durant will lead the offense after getting 1,385,851 votes. The Phoenix Suns forward is impressive this year, with the Suns maintaining a near-flawless mark he is playing. Durant might not be happy with the new NBA All-Star format, but he’s expected to start again in 2025.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic will represent the Western Conference defense after garnering 1,422,121 and 1,268,799 votes in the first round. Gilgeous-Alexander is second in scoring with 31.3 points per match and has the most votes among guards. Meanwhile, Doncic is re-igniting the Mavericks momentum this season with his ability to perform consistently at a high level.
Guard: LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
Guard: Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Forward: Jason Tatum, Boston Celtics
Forward: Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
The Eastern Conference defense starters will feature Charlotte Hornets' star guard LaMelo Ball and Cleveland Cavaliers Donovan Mitchess. LaMelo Ball, a dynamic passer, has been a great attacker this season and a point guard who can lift the scoring burden off Giannis Antetokounmpo and Antony Towns. Meanwhile, Mitchell’s last NBA All-Star Game start was 2023 and he is still impressive despite changes in his bodywork.
Karl-Anthony Towns will start in an All-Star Game for the first time and he fits perfectly on the offense thanks to his board dominance and scoring ability. Towns will play alongside Jason Tatum - one of the top three MVP candidates this year. The Boston Celtics stud wing is at the top of his game, averaging 28.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game.
Lastly, Giannis Antetokounmpo is at peak performance and keeps improving his margins. The 30-year-old leads the Eastern Conference first votes at 1,1710,630. Antetokounmpo will also make MVP discussion interesting as some believe he’s no longer the world’s best basketball player. Nonetheless, Giannis will start in the NBA All-Star Weekend for the ninth time straight.
