The 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco is just around the corner! The league is determined to improve this year’s All-Star product and will be changing the format for the All-Star game. The NBA just announced the five starters for the Eastern and Western Conferences, and it is full of deserving and familiar names. As always, the announcements come with both applause and controversy, particularly over those left out of the starting lineups. While the fan vote (50% of the equation) carries significant weight, media and player votes (each contributing 25%) play a big role as well. Let’s take a look at the list of starters and see who are the biggest NBA All-Star starter snubs this season.
Biggest NBA All-Star Starter Snubs
NBA All-Star Starters Announced
The Western Conference is stacked as always. The starters are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Nikola Jokić. At least four of those players are without question Hall of Famers (Gilgeous-Alexander heading that way as well). Those four also have MVPs and NBA championships, with Gilgeous-Alexander hoping to grab his first of both this season.
The Eastern Conference list does not match up to the West in accolades. However, the East list is full of younger up-and-coming stars who could easily put the West’s older heads in their place. The Eastern Conference All-Star starters are Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Biggest All-Star Snubs
The Western Conference list is a lot more controversial than the East. Curry, James, and Durant are all legends in their own right, but they are declining statistically and not worthy of the starter honor. The first player that comes to mind as more worthy is Victor Wembanyama. In his second season, Wemby has already taken the league by storm. He is likely going to win Defensive Player of the Year and is averaging 24.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and four blocks a game.
Another big snub is Anthony Davis. This one is especially interesting because Davis’ teammate, LeBron, did make the list. Davis has been the best player on the Lakers for year, but is constantly overlooked by the media due to LeBron’s fame. Davis is averaging 25.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 3.5 combined blocks/steals per game. On the other hand, LeBron is averaging 23.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.9 assists this season. This is a situation where the weight of the fan vote made a huge difference.
The 2025 NBA All-Star Game Highlight
A less controversial snub is between Anthony Edwards and Curry. Curry, playing in San Francisco where the game will be hosted, undoubtedly benefited from fan vote and his legendary status in the league. He’s averaging 22.6 points per game on 40.7% shooting from beyond the arc, carrying the Golden State Warriors in a season where they’re struggling to stay relevant. However, Edwards’ case is more compelling when looking at both individual and team performance.
Edwards leads the league with 184 made three-pointers while shooting an impressive 42.6% from deep. His scoring average of 26.2 points per game surpasses Curry’s, and he is averaging more rebounds and steals. Additionally, Edwards has a significant defensive edge over Curry, making him a more complete player this season. The Timberwolves, with a better record than the Warriors, owe much of their success to Edwards’ two-way brilliance. Unfortunately for Edwards, you have to give Curry the start on his home floor which makes this snub hurt less.
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