The NBA officially announced the names of the 10 starters and two captains for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game on Thursday night.
The league is returning to its traditional Eastern Conference versus Western Conference format this year after six years of mixing things up by having the captains pick the players for their teams, and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic has been voted a starter for the Western Conference.
Doncic will make his fifth All-Star appearance in his sixth season in the NBA, only missing the cut as a rookie during the 2018-2019 season. He is averaging a career-best 33.6 points and 9.3 assists per game, good for second and third-best in the NBA, respectively.
The rest of the Western Conference’s starting lineup includes captain LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), former University of Texas star Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), two-time MVP Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder).
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks will captain an Eastern Conference squad that features Philadelphia 76ers forward Joel Embiid, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, Boston Celtics guard Jayson Tatum, and his Milwaukee teammate Damian Lillard.
Antetokounmpo and James also served as the captains last season, and Team Giannis defeated Team LeBron 184-175. The Western Conference has won the last three All-Star matchups that pitted the East against the West.
Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving finished just outside the starting lineup and could be selected as a reserve for the Western Conference.
The starters were selected based on votes from fans, the media, and fellow players, and 14 reserves (seven for each conference) will be chosen by the 30 NBA coaches and announced on February 1. Any replacements needed for whatever reason will be up to commissioner Adam Silver to decide.
The NBA’s 2024 All-Star Weekend will begin on Friday, February 16, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home of the Indiana Pacers. The 73rd annual All-Star game will conclude the weekend on Sunday, February 18.
