The NBA has officially revealed the starters for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, with the league’s brightest stars earning recognition ahead of the midseason showcase scheduled for Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The starters were announced during MLK Day’s national NBA broadcast on NBC and Peacock.

This year’s All-Star Game debuts a new U.S. vs. World format, featuring a three-team round-robin tournament with two U.S. teams and one international team, each playing four 12-minute games before a championship finale.

The Eastern Conference starters are as follows:

• Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks – 10th All-Star start
• Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics – 5th start
• Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks – 3rd start
• Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons – 2nd start
• Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers – 2nd start

 Meanwhile, the Western Conference starters comprise of:

• Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors – 12th All-Star appearance
• Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers – 6th start
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder – 4th start
• Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets – 8th start
• Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs – 2nd start

Among the notable storylines for this year’s all-star game include: 

• LeBron James’ Starter Streak Ends: For the first time since 2004, LeBron James will not be named an All-Star starter, ending a historic 21-year streak due in part to injury and missed time this season. He missed the first 14 games of this year due to a sciatica injury.
• Voting Structure: Starters were selected based on a combined vote – 50% fans, 25% media, 25% NBA players – with reserves to be named by head coaches later.
• USA vs. World Format: With starters now set, the league will assign players to the USA and World teams in the coming weeks as part of the revamped All-Star competition designed to spotlight global talent alongside American stars.