Jokic and Antetokounmpo Lead the 2026 NBA All-Star Game
Serbian Nikola Jokic and Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo lead the list of players selected for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, which will be held in Los Angeles from February 13 to 15, according to the league on Monday. Antetokounmpo, star of the Milwaukee Bucks, leads the Eastern selections, accompanied by Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons), Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers) and Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics). In the Western Conference, alongside Jokic (Denver Nuggets), Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs) were chosen.New Format for the All-Star Game
These ten players make up the initial group of starters, selected through a combined vote of the fans (50%), players (25%) and specialized media (25%), in an All-Star Game that will premiere an innovative format.For the first time in history, the All-Star game will not directly pit the East against the West. Once the rosters are complete, the players will be distributed into two teams from the United States and one from the Rest of the World, who will compete in a mini-tournament under the ’round robin’ system, before a final between the top two finishers.
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Prominent Figures and Notable Absences
For Stephen Curry, this will be his twelfth All-Star Game appearance, the highest number among the players announced so far. He is followed by Antetokounmpo, with 10 appearances, and Jokic, with eight.One of the big absences from the first group of selected players is LeBron James, who is out after 21 consecutive participations in the event.
