2026 NBA All-Star Starters It was decided after weeks of voting by fans, media and players top player To represent their conference and their country. Reserves will be announced on February 1.
With the new “United States vs. the World” FormatThree teams will be formed, consisting of eight-man rosters – two of which will be made up of American players and the third of which will be made up of international players.
luka doncic And giannis antetokounmpo Led the fan vote for their respective conferences, while a few new faces have achieved All-Star starter status Cade Cunningham And tyreese maxi. The NBA All-Star Game will take place on February 15 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
Our NBA insiders break down the rosters, including the biggest surprises, the pairings we’re excited to see play together and the rest of the roster projections.
The 2026 All-Star starters are here ↓ pic.twitter.com/4fp7KA7AkZ
– ESPN (@espn) 19 January 2026
What did the voters do right?
The East is going with three guards in the starting lineup. One of the many changes to the process this year was the elimination of positions from the ballot, and the guard pool in the East was very strong with veteran forwards. jayson tatum Was pushed aside. Voters could have deviated from tradition and included taller players in the lineup, but wisely chose against it. –Kevin Pelton
What did the voters do wrong?
It’s hard to complain about it Stephen Curry Being voted as a starter. He’s undoubtedly an All-Star and has earned the right to start for the sixth consecutive year, but he also Anthony EdwardsWhich got my media vote. Edwards is averaging a career 29.6 PPG and has matched Curry in efficiency this season.
I also voted Donovan Mitchell In the East, where he probably got less credit because cleveland cavaliers Has disappointed this season. This is not because of Mitchell, who is playing well as usual. Still, both Edwards and Mitchell will make the All-Star Game and it could start with the American players being split into two teams, so these are more controversies than real issues. — Pelton
Which international pair are you most excited to see play together?
Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama. Giannis is such a unique combination of size and explosiveness that everyone calls him “The Greek Freak”… but when he stands next to Wembley, he looks like a guard. Seeing the Freak and “The Alien” together in an All-Star format, I expect to see Dunk from every angle. Of course, Wembley also has one of the best shooting strokes in the league, so Giannis’ ability to tear down defenses and kick out the big man for a 3-pointer should also be beautiful.
On defense – if they choose to play any at all – rim protection can be epic. Styles makes for a fight, but Giannis and Wembey are also both very competitive, and if they can dominate each other, it could lead to All-Star magic. –Andre Snellings
Which American duo are you most excited to see play together?
Curry and Tyrese Maxi. Once the full roster is announced, I may move Maxi out for Anthony Edwards, but the combination of Curry’s infinite range and Maxi’s blazing speed with the ball will be a lot of fun to watch – especially in an All-Star setting.
Assuming everyone plays, the international team is going to have some incredible size advantages with Antetokounmpo, Wembanyama and. Nikola Jokic Everyone is on the court, and the American rosters are likely to be pretty tough, which will create a fun contrast in styles. –Tim Bontemps
what should the league do Lebron James’21-year All-Star streak?
If James is healthy, he should be in the All-Star Game. It’s very easy. Is he one of the league’s 12 best American players? Yes. Are the Lakers a factor in the West? Yes. Are their numbers considerable? 22.6/5.9/6.9 on 50.9% shooting — Yes.
Add in the fact that the game is being played in LA, and this could really be James’ swan song, and getting him into the game isn’t exactly easy.
If the coaches do not vote James as a reserve, it is up to Adam Silver to keep him on the roster. Now, there may be some hard feelings on the league’s part about how the last year went – and understandably so. James reported to San Francisco but was late for the game due to foot and ankle soreness.
If he had decided not to play early, an eligible player could have been selected as a replacement All-Star. This should have been handled better.
But looking at the bigger picture, as the league searches for ways to keep the All-Star Game relevant, one aim is to honor the legends upon their exit. Think about Michael Jordan in Atlanta in 2003; Kobe Bryant in Toronto in 2016; Or even Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade in Charlotte in 2019, both of whom were added to the game by Silver even though their on-court production was significantly reduced.
As long as James is healthy, extending that All-Star streak to 22 years is an absolute must. –Dave McMenamin
What is the league saying about the new format
Reaction to the new format has been mostly a shrug, but there is optimism that the change in format will improve the game. In 2020, when the league eliminated goal scoring and the game was held just weeks after the death of Kobe Bryant, there was some additional competition. However, whatever efforts the league tried did not work in the long run.
The big leaguewide talking point has nothing to do with the All-Star Game. is under investigation LA Clippersowner Steve Ballmer, and kawhi leonard Potential salary cap manipulation could lead to a meltdown over the weekend. Since the game is being held at Ballmer’s newly constructed palace, the Intuit Dome, the investigation could be a major topic. — Bontemps
The biggest All-Star implications to know
Changes to the 2017 and 2023 collective bargaining agreements have virtually eliminated the financial incentive for All-Star selections. A rule introduced in 2011 allowed a first- or second-round pick to receive 30% of the salary cap in his second contract if he was named an All-Star starter at least twice. However, this is no longer one of the criteria for rookie supermaxes, meaning Vembanyama’s selection as a starter will not impact his expansion.
Overall, teams have moved away from including contract incentives – even unlikely bonuses – as they count toward the apron. This past free agency, no All-Star bonuses were negotiated into any player’s contract. Seven players currently have All-Star incentives: Kevin Durant, RJ Barrett, demar derozan, donte divincenzo, Aaron Gordon, tyler herro And Domantas Sabonis. No one was selected as the starter.
Of the 10 All-Star starters, only Wembanyama and Brunson are not on max contracts. Wembanyama is in the third year of his rookie deal and Brunson signed a team-friendly four-year, $156.5 million extension through 2024. Brunson deal paves way for New York takeover carl-anthony townIncrease mikal bridges And stay below the second apron this season. –Bobby Marks
Let’s project the rest of the roster
Construction of Bontemps’ Recent All-Star selectionsEight of the remaining 14 All-Star selections appear to be locks: Scotty Barnes, Jalen Duren, jalen johnson and formerly Mitchell; and Durant, Edwards, jamal mare And alperen sengun In the west.
That leaves six slots, three in each conference. The open spots in the East should come from the slumping Knicks to the townspeople, who are the Heat representatives’ choice. norman powell And bomb adebayoAnd the Nets have a pair of forwards with strong individual numbers on weaker teams. Michael Porter Jr.. and pacers pascal siakam.
Outside the West, the debate over the final places will be more controversial, as it also involves the list of eligible candidates. Chet Holmgren (who has inferior counting stats, but excellent efficiency and defensive numbers for the NBA’s best team), Devin Booker (Leader of Conference Most Surprising Contenders), Most Improved Player Favorite deni avdijaTwo players with star level statistics but played fewer games due to injury (Kawhi Leonard and Austin Reeves) and 21-time All-Star LeBron James, who may inherit a spot despite his low numbers and playing time this season.
For now, my final predictions for the All-Star reserves – not necessarily who I’ll pick, but who I think will make it – include:
Eastern Conference:
Scotty BarnesToronto Raptors
Jalen Durendetroit pistons
jalen johnsonatlanta hawks
Donovan Mitchellcleveland cavaliers
Michael Porter Jr.., Brooklyn Nets
norman powellMiami Heat
carl-anthony townnew York Knicks
Western Conference:
deni avdijaportland trail blazers
devin bookerphoenix suns
Kevin DurantHouston Rockets
Anthony Edwardsminnesota timberwolves
Chet Holmgrenoklahoma city thunder
jamal maredenver nuggets
alperen sengunHouston Rockets
If these are the selections, the final nationality division will be 16 American and eight international players – a full division, pending any injury replacements between now and mid-February. – Zack Cram
