NBA unveils 2025 All-Star roster, new mini-tournament format

The NBA has officially revealed the complete lineup for the 2025 All-Star Game, set to take place at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. This year's event introduces a new twist — a tournament-style format aimed at delivering high-intensity matchups.

The 2025 NBA All-Star Roster

The league’s top players were selected through a combination of fan voting (50 percent), current NBA players (25 percent), and a media panel (25 percent) for the starting five in each conference. Meanwhile, head coaches chose seven reserves from their respective conferences.

Eastern Conference
Starters:

• Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks)

• Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)

• Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks)

• Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)

• Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)

Reserves:

• Damian Lillard (Milwaukee Bucks)

• Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers)

• Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)

• Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)

• Tyler Herro (Miami Heat)

• Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers)

• Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers)

Western Conference
Starters:

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)

• Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)

• Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets)

• Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns)

• LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)

Reserves:

• Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)

• Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)

• James Harden (LA Clippers)

• Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies)

• Alperen Şengün (Houston Rockets)

• Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder)

• Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)

A New All-Star Format: The Mini-Tournament Era Begins
The NBA All-Star Game will no longer follow the traditional East vs. West or team captain format. Instead, the league is introducing a four-team, three-game mini-tournament, where the first team to reach 40 points in each game advances.

Three teams will be drafted live on TNT by analysts Charles Barkley (Team Chuck), Shaquille O’Neal (Team Shaq), and Kenny Smith (Team Kenny). The fourth team will be the champion of the Castrol Rising Stars game, which features top rookies, second-year players, and G League standouts.

The four teams will face off in two semifinal games, with the winners meeting in a championship game to determine the ultimate All-Star champion.

High Stakes for Better Competition
To make the All-Star Game more entertaining, players are provided with extra motivation — a prize pool of $1.8 million is up for grabs. Each player on the championship-winning team will earn $125,000, while second-place players will receive $50,000 each. Players on the third- and fourth-place teams will still take home $25,000 each.