The race for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game starters kicked off with a bang as the league released the first fan voting returns, and two of the game’s biggest stars are pacing the leaderboard. Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers leads all players in total fan votes, while Giannis Antetokounmpo tops the Eastern Conference returns.

Luka has surged ahead in the early returns with more than 1,249,500 votes, leading the Western Conference and all NBA players in fan support. Behind him in the West are stars like Nikola Jokic, Stephen Curry, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama – each drawing strong early backing from fans.

In the East, Giannis has taken an early edge with over 1,192,200 votes, besting fellow All-Star hopefuls including Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham and Donovan Mitchell.

Fan voting represents 50 % of the ballot share for All-Star starters, with current NBA players and media panels accounting for the remaining 50 % (25 % each). The results are just the first step in a voting process that continues through mid-January, including a special “3-for-1 Day” where each fan vote counts three times.

This season’s All-Star Game – featuring a new USA vs. World three-team round-robin format — is scheduled for February 15, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

With the midseason showcase now shaping up to highlight international stars like Luka and Giannis at the top, fans have plenty of time to weigh in as voting progresses in the coming weeks.