We are now under a month away from the 2026 NBA All-Star Game slated for Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome.
Fan voting came to a close on Wednesday and the results of the third round of voting will be revealed shortly. Fans account for 50 percent of the vote in determining starters, followed by current players at 25 percent and media at another 25 percent. Coaches will select reserves Feb. 1.
As we get closer to these deadlines, the debates on who should be there and who should miss out intensify, too.
It’s worth remembering this year’s event has been tweaked, catering to a Team USA vs. Team World format. There will be a minimum of 16 Americans and eight international players featured across three teams with a minimum of eight players each.
How much does that change the outlook for certain players on the bubble? Let’s break it all down to find out.
Western Conference Starters
Nikola Jokic (SRB) – Denver Nuggets
Jokic may be at risk of missing out on MVP and All-NBA consideration but his 32 games worth of averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, 11 assists, and 1.4 steals should make him a lock to start the Sunday showcase. He was also second in fan voting in the second returns.
Victor Wembanyama (FRA) – San Antonio Spurs
Wembanyama has also had his fair share of absences, playing 26 games so far this season. He is exactly the type of star the All-Star Game is about and his highlight reel plays have him fifth in fan voting.
Luka Doncic (SLV) – Los Angeles Lakers
Doncic is the leading vote-getter in the West and by a fair distance as well. Being a true blue MVP candidate with the Lakers fan base will do that for you. Leading the league in scoring at 33.4 points per game, Doncic is also dishing out 8.8 assists, grabbing 7.9 rebounds and picking up 1.6 steals per contest.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (CAN) – Oklahoma City Thunder
The reigning MVP, West Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP is the favorite to win another regular season MVP award. The Thunder may not be swinging for 74 wins anymore but they remain the best team in the league and he is the best player on it. Gilgeous-Alexander was fourth in the second returns on fan voting.
Stephen Curry (USA) – Golden State Warriors
Golden State has had a mediocre season to this point but Curry has been far from the reason for it. Averaging 28.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.2 steals with a 58.3 effective field goal percentage shows he’s still at the top of his game. Fans seem to recognize it, too, placing him third in fan voting.
Western Conference Reserve Guarantees
Chet Holmgren (USA) – Oklahoma City Thunder
With Oklahoma City boasting a 34-7 record, it seems reasonable to expect one of Gilgeous-Alexander’s teammates will accompany him. As far as who that should be, look no further than Holmgren. The Thunder big man is averaging 17.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks and has been pivotal in anchoring a Thunder defense that has been league-best by a mile. His 66.2 percent shooting on twos is also a career-high.
Jamal Murray (CAN) – Denver Nuggets
Now in his 10th season, Murray is all but certain to make his first All-Star appearance. Averaging 25.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and a steal, the Canadian is also shooting an astounding 44.6 percent on threes. An added bonus, at least as far as his All-Star case is concerned, is he has been tremendous in the absence of Jokic to help the Nuggets keep their head above water.
Anthony Edwards (USA) – Minnesota Timberwolves
The only debate over Edwards is whether he squeaks into a starting spot ahead of someone else. Averaging 28.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 steals, the 24-year-old is doing it all while shooting 50 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three. One of the most electrifying players in the game, Edwards is headed toward a fourth All-Star selection.
Kevin Durant (USA) – Houston Rockets
Death, taxes and Durant being one of the most efficient scorers in the game. One can’t help but marvel at the fact that, at age 37, Durant is putting up 26.1 points per game with a splash line of 57.4 percent on twos, 40 percent on threes and 89.2 percent on free throws. He’d be earning a 16th All-Star appearance.
Devin Booker (USA) – Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are flirting with an automatic playoff berth at 24-16 and absolutely deserve to have an All-Star. Devin Booker is the face of the franchise and averaging 25.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists for one of the league’s pleasant surprises.
Double Representation Candidates
De’Aaron Fox (USA) – San Antonio Spurs
Rudy Gobert (FRA) / Julius Randle (USA) – Minnesota Timberwolves
LeBron James (USA) – Los Angeles Lakers
Alperen Sengun (TUR) – Houston Rockets
The debate for the final two spots starts with the players who would be earning a second spot for their team. Fox’s case gets further emboldened by how good the Spurs were without Wembanyama and even when he was playing limited minutes. He’s averaged 20.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.8 assists, so it’s possible the numbers don’t pop enough to be ahead of the rest.
Gobert certainly had a slow start to the season and will never have the flashiest of numbers but his impact is undeniable. For a Minnesota team that has won 17 of 23 and looks like a serious West contender once again, the Frenchman is averaging a double-double and the team’s defense is 15 points better per 100 possessions when he’s on the floor. Just as Gobert impacts the defense, the Wolves’ offense is 14.8 points better when Randle is on the floor. He’s quietly having a strong season, averaging 22-7-5 on solid efficiency.
Having appeared in just 21 games so far this season, James is making his worst-ever case to be part of the showcase. He’s averaging 22.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists while shooting 60 percent on twos, 31 percent on threes and 73 percent at the line. Coaches may give him a vote out of sheer respect but with the expectation that he’ll be around next season, this panel of one doesn’t feel bad leaving him out.
Åžengün has combined with Durant to become a formidable duo and they have complemented each other’s strengths really well. Åžengün gets to operate out of the post as a tremendous hub for the offense and is averaging 21.7 points, 8.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists. While the Rockets have had a bit of a slide losing four of six, I’ll roll with Åžengün taking the 11th spot among these five candidates.
Outside Looking In Candidates
Deni Avdija (ISR) – Portland Trail Blazers
Lauri Markkanen (FIN)/Keyonte George (USA) – Utah Jazz
Kawhi Leonard/James Harden (USA) – Los Angeles Clippers
These are the lone team representative candidates.
It’s been a career-best year for Avdija, averaging 26.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 6.9 assists on a rather scrappy Blazers team. He’s knocking down threes at a solid clip and no one seems to be able to stop him from getting to the foul line.
After a quiet 2024-25 campaign, Markkanen is reminding people how good he is again. The Finnish star is averaging 27.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and a steal on very good shooting splits. George is one of the top candidates for Most Improved Player, averaging 23.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists while raising his effective field goal percentage by five points and his free-throw percentage by 10 points. The Jazz are 14-26, though.
It was looking grim with a 6-21 record but the Clippers have since won 11 of 13 and are on the cusp of the Play-In Tournament. Add that the game is playing at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles and there’s good reason to believe the Clippers should have some representation.
Leonard has arguably been one of the best five players in the NBA this season and ought to be there. A major driving force in the Clippers’ recent success where he’s gone nuclear, Leonard is averaging 28.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and leading the league in steals at 2.2 per game this season. He’s shooting 55.6 percent on twos, 39.9 percent on threes and a remarkable 94.1 percent at the free-throw line.
Final Selection
Starters:Â Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Stephen Curry
Reserves: Chet Holmgren, Jamal Murray, Anthony Edwards, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Alperen Şengün, Kawhi Leonard
All stats accurate prior to games played on Jan. 15.
