The league has officially announced the starters for the 2026 All-Star Game, and the biggest headline isn’t just about the names selected. For the first time since the 2003–04 season, LeBron James was not voted as a starter, ending a streak that had lasted more than twenty years and seemed untouchable. A symbolic changing of…
The league has officially announced the starters for the 2026 All-Star Game, and the biggest headline isn’t just about the names selected. For the first time since the 2003–04 season, LeBron James was not voted as a starter, ending a streak that had lasted more than twenty years and seemed untouchable.
A symbolic changing of the guard, announced on Monday, January 19, during the pregame of the NBA Martin Luther King Jr. Day showcase, ahead of the matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
LeBron James out of the starters: the end of an era?
For 21 consecutive seasons, LeBron had always been named among the All-Star Game’s starting five. This time, he wasn’t. That doesn’t mean he’s excluded from the event: James is still in the running to extend his record for consecutive All-Star appearances, but his absence from the starters tells a deeper story.
It’s not just about performance, but about shifting balances, new hierarchies, and a league increasingly focused on the present – and the future.
The All-Star Game is a mirror of the moment the NBA is living. And today, the center of the stage is more crowded than ever.
Media panel member
How the NBA All-Star 2026 starters were selected
The selection system remains the well-established one:
- Fan vote: 50%
- NBA players’ vote: 25%
- Media panel: 25%
Selections were made without positional distinctions, with the process managed and certified by Ernst & Young to ensure transparency.
New All-Star Game format: USA vs World
The 2026 edition also marks a historic shift in format. Goodbye to the classic East vs West: the NBA introduces a USA vs World setup, with three teams of eight players competing in a round-robin tournament.
The announced starters will be distributed among these teams. Reserves will be chosen by NBA coaches, but in case of imbalances between American and international players, Adam Silver may step in directly to complete the rosters.
NBA All-Star Game 2026 starters
The event will take place on February 15, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
Eastern Conference
- Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)
- Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks)
- Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers)
- Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
A lineup that blends leadership, offensive explosiveness, and consistency, with Giannis now a fixture and Cunningham increasingly the face of the new generation.
Western Conference
- Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Luka Doncic (Los Angeles Lakers)
- Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)
- Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
Here the message is crystal clear: generational talent everywhere.
From Curry, the symbol of an era, to Wembanyama, already central to the NBA present, through Doncic and Jokic, who continue to redefine the concept of a superstar.
