NBA All-Star captains picking rosters live on night of game

The night before the game, NBA All-Star captains choose the rosters live

NBA All-Star Game is on February 19. And until that evening, nobody will be aware of the All-Star rosters. not even the participants.

In a live, televised pregame portion just before the game in Salt Lake City begins, the team captains—likely LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and either Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo or Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant—will declare their selections.

The new format was revealed by the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association on Tuesday night.

The league will be using the captains-choose-their-teams model for the sixth time; however, in each of the first five occurrences, the rosters were chosen a few days before to the game.

On Thursday, the captains and starters will be revealed.

James has served as captain for each of the first five years, and based on the voting results that the league announced late last week, he is almost certainly going to do so once more this season. To be a captain, one must receive the most votes from both the Eastern and Western Conferences.

Initially leading the East players, Durant later lost ground to Antetokounmpo in the most recent voting. On Thursday, it will be known whether he regained the East voting lead. He is still anticipated to be chosen as a starter.

Voting for the starting lineup was due on Saturday.

“I want to play,” Durant told reporters in New York on Tuesday. “I want to be a part of all these events.”

James’ teams are 5-0 in All-Star Games when he is a captain.

In each of the previous two games, Durant served as the captain while leading the East in vote. The previous two games, in 2019 and 2020, included Antetokounmpo.

The top three frontcourt players and top two guards from each conference will be selected as starters. The top vote-getters from each conference will lead their respective teams and serve as captains.

The ballots submitted by NBA players make up 25% of the starters balloting, 25% of the media ballot, and 50% of the starters balloting from fans.

The reserves, seven players from each conference picked by NBA coaches, will be unveiled on February 2.