On Tuesday, the NBA revealed that the 2025 All-Star Game will feature a four-team tournament instead of the usual East vs. West format. This marks the first time the All-Star Game will take place as a tournament rather than a single game.
How will the rosters be formed?
All-Star Game voting will begin with the selection of starters. The “NBA Electoral College” (a term used because fans do not solely vote for starters) will be responsible for choosing them. Fans contribute 50% of the vote, while 25% comes from media members and another 25% from players. Coaches will vote for the reserves, with 12 players from the Eastern Conference and 12 from the Western Conference, forming the traditional All-Star rosters.
The NBA’s assistant coaches and league office will select players for the Rising Stars challenge, which includes NBA rookies, sophomores, and G League players. This game will be held on Friday, February 14, at 9 p.m. ET, with a winner determined during the event.
The four teams will be led by the following honorary GMs, all of whom are TNT analysts:
- Team Candace Parker, led by the winner of the Rising Stars challenge
- Team Shaquille O’Neal, with an All-Star team of eight players
- Team Charles Barkley, another All-Star team of eight players
- Team Kenny Smith, also an All-Star team of eight players
O’Neal, Barkley, and Smith will conduct a draft on February 6 to select their traditional All-Star players, while Parker will not participate in the draft.
The head coach of the Eastern and Western Conference teams with the best records will each lead one of the traditional All-Star teams. An assistant coach from these teams will lead the remaining teams, including Team Candace.
What does this mean for the Wizards?
It’s unlikely that the Washington Wizards will have an All-Star starter or reserve this year. Their best chance is for a rookie or sophomore to be selected for the Rising Stars Challenge and end up on the winning team. If that happens, Sunday’s All-Star event will be a more exciting occasion for Wizards fans.
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