Despite being one of the marquee events on the NBA calendar, the All-Star game hasn’t attracted the level of engagement or competition that the league may have been hoping for. Turning into an all-out exhibition with no real stakes, players haven’t suited up with the intensity that the game might demand.
As a result, commissioner Adam Silver has been hard at work to make tweaks to the format to potentially allow the showcase to prosper. This year, that comes in the form of a three-team tournament that pits the best the US has to offer against the best from the rest of the world. Here’s everything you need to know about the teams.
NBA All-Star Game Rosters
In recent years, the trend of the All-Star game holding no real weight and featuring no competition has become a recurring story. Moreover, the last few iterations have been particularly egregious.
Scores have surpassed 200 as well, with no real answer in sight. As a result, a new variation has emerged this season, with players divided into three teams featuring the best the game has to offer.
With the dominance of players from outside the USA, last season brought a change to the format, with the trio of Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and Candace Parker selecting teams composed of young stars, veterans, and players from around the world.
While the format saw some upside, the games still ended up being largely one-sided. As a result, the league has introduced another tweak this season, with its three-team format. This time, two USA teams, the USA Stars and USA Stripes, will lock horns with the World roster.
Each team currently has between eight and ten players, accounting for injuries and players missing the festivities. Here are the teams as they look on the eve of the exhibition contest.
Team World Roster
1) Norman Powell, Miami Heat
2) Deni Avidja, Portland Trail Blazers
3) Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers
4) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (Injured, will not play)
5) Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
6) Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
7) Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
8) Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers
9) Karl Anthony-Towns, New York Knicks
10) Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Head coach: Darko Rajaković, Toronto Raptors
Team USA Stripes roster
1.) Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
2.) Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
3.) Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors (Injured, will not play)
4.) Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets
5.) Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors
6.) LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
7.) Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
8. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers
9.) De’Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs
Head coach: Mitch Johnson, San Antonio Spurs
Team USA Stars roster
1.) Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
2.) Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
3.) Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
4.) Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons
5.) Anthony Edwards, Memphis Grizzlies
6.) Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
7.) Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
8.) Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
Head coach: J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit Pistons
