The 24 players selected for the 2025 All-Star Game were drafted on a Thursday pre-game TNT show by coaches Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith, and later announced by the NBA (Twitter link).
The players were previously sorted into groups of starters and reserves, but that had no bearing on their team placement for the new mini-tournament in this year’s game.
Below are each team’s selections, sorted in order of pick:
Team Shaq
- LeBron James, Lakers
- Stephen Curry, Warriors
- Anthony Davis, Mavericks
- Jayson Tatum, Celtics
- Kevin Durant, Suns
- Damian Lillard, Bucks
- James Harden, Clippers
- Jaylen Brown, Celtics
O’Neal had the first overall pick in the televised draft, selecting James, who holds the record for most All-Star appearances in a career. For the most part, O’Neal opted for the “old guard” of the NBA, so to speak. His team has a whopping 87 All-Star appearances (including this year) among its eight players.
The roster also unites a handful of players. Durant spent this week in trade rumors, with reports indicating he didn’t want to be traded to Curry’s Warriors. The two players were teammates for three seasons. This also will mark the first time James and Davis will play together since the blockbuster move that brought Doncic to L.A. Additionally, Curry, James, Durant, Tatum and Davis all played together on the 2024 U.S. men’s Olympic Team.
Team Kenny
- Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks
- Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies
- Jalen Williams, Thunder
- Darius Garland, Cavaliers
- Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
- Cade Cunningham, Pistons
- Tyler Herro, Heat
In contrast to O’Neal’s roster, Smith opted for some of the younger stars across the league. Smith’s team has a combined 13 All-Star nods to their name — Williams, Mobley, Cunningham and Herro are all first-timers. Smith united a pair of Cavaliers, with Mobley and Garland joining forces.
Team Chuck
- Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
- Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
- Pascal Siakam, Pacers
- Alperen Sengun, Rockets
- Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks
- Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
Barkley went for a mix of experience in his group. He secured the top three expected players in the MVP race this season between Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Gilgeous-Alexander. He also landed Wembanyama with the 12th overall pick. Barkley’s group has a combined 35 All-Star honors, with Sengun and Wembanyama as first-time All-Stars and Antetkounmpo (nine) and Jokic (seven) leading the way.
A fourth team coached by Candace Parker will play in the tournament. She’ll be coaching whichever team wins this year’s Rising Stars Challenge — those rosters were announced earlier this week. Two teams will meet in a semifinal (game one) while the other two also play each other (game two). The winning team from each game moves on to the final round.
The four teams participating in the NBA All-Star Game will compete for a prize pool of $1.8 million. Each player on the team that wins the final will receive $125,000, while members of the second-place team earn $50,000. Players on the third- and fourth-place teams will receive $25,000.
Harden Sixers lol
Can’t pay me to watch the all star game. I’ll watch Saturday night tho.
If you watch on tnt, keep it on after all star saturday is over for a massive AEW grand slam in Australia show that starts immediately after all star saturday…it’s worth it; it’s also on max
we ain’t watch none of that b-tier wrasslin’ crap
You might not but others will. Not sure who they are but they will.
Sure is a good thing that the Timberpuppies passed on drafting Stephen Curry and drafted Jonny Flynn instead. That Curry fella hasn’t done much in the NBA.
Sure is a good thing that the Blazers passed on drafting Kevin Durant and drafted Greg Oden instead. That Durant fella hasn’t done much in the NBA.
Sure is a good thing that the Jazz passed on drafting Giannis and drafted Shabazz Muhammad instead. That Giannis fella hasn’t done much in the NBA.
Sure is a good thing that the Lakers passed on drafting Jayson Tatum and drafted Lonzo Ball instead. That Tatum fella hasn’t done much in the NBA.
Sure is a good thing that the Suns and Kings passed on drafting Luka/Trae and drafted Ayton and Bagley instead. Those Luka and Trae fellas haven’t done much in the NBA…
I’ll stop there.
Why? That was fun AND informative. Keep going!
I easily could! Lots of draft decisions that look nuts in hindsight, but as they always say, the draft is a crapshoot.
The 1996 draft is an easy one to look at for this exercise. Kobe going 13th right behind the Cavs selection of Potapenko (solid role player or not) is the biggest one, of course. In that same class, Nash went 15th, Jermaine O’Neal went 17th, and Ilgauskas went 20th. Some guys who went ahead of those four were Lorenzen Wright, Samaki Walker, Erick Dampier, Todd Fuller, and the previously mentioned Potapenko.
Just an embarrassing attempt at entertainment. No thanks.
It’s just silly. They even put all the International players on one team.
Chuck picked them, they didn’t just put them.
Because one team was already set to be international players. So not like Chuck had a choice.
Lamelo must be there is not it’s a discriminatory action against fans, small market teams and the city of Charlotte too.
He didn’t get picked because he’s missed a lot of time to injury and he’s hurt again now anyway so…
All these centers and kenny picked 0
This is a joke! Maxey not an All-Star. Give me a break!
Probably missed too many games, Trae would have made before Maxey…76ers suck. Herro is the only interchangeable.
Was this a draft of some sorts?
If it was, how convenient that the old guard, young ones and international players were aligned to their respective teams.
The NBA trying hard to shove this down everyone’s throats.
Reading is fundamental… it says draft in the 1st sentence haha.
Chuck was saying the weeks leading up he wanted International players. Kenny wanted young guys as they are more excited. Shaq always for vets.
Mine was a legit question …… stayed away from the net, after that whirlwind trade deadline.
They had to hold a draft, just to get their pre-selected rosters ……. where was Donovan Mitchell born anyways? Lol.
Some stacked rosters should be entertaining
Stacked stacked stacked
This was such a scripted draft.
Old heads vs young guns vs internationals
How does Wemby drop behind Jaren Jackson Jr and Jalen Williams. He chose Garland over Donovan Mitchell his Cleveland teammate who’s better than him.
Chuck was obvious with it and was saying towards the end his parent are from … or he’s got … heritage.
I’d rather the fans select their top 30 players they believe are all stars, the media select 30 and the players select 30.
Then based off percentage of votes have the players split between teams. Players like LaMelo who the fans wanted to see would then be selected. Then it’s abit cooler like who’s got better judgement fans players or media.
Do it like the all NBA selctions, for example if Jokic was first overall in each of the three teams then for tie breakers you count back how many first place votes he got compared to second place votes and so on. You’d have to do it as a percentage or something as fam votes would be in the millions compared to media and players which would be limited to more like 50.
Maybe you don’t completely remove positions, make it you have to pick 3 players in each position then the other half of the guys selected can be random which removes guys in weaker positions being selected.
Would be a much more entertaining showpiece.
This is a joke…younger guys on one team, international players on one team…why not just mix them all up…draw the names out of a hat…
Team Tim will hopefully win the whole thing