Three of the four eight-player teams competing in the revamped 2025 NBA All-Star Game have been revealed following two waves of player announcements on January 23 and 30. Continue reading to learn more.
Broadcast legends Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith—all outstanding basketball players in their own right—selected their teams for the reimagined 2025 NBA All-Star Game on February 16 in San Francisco, California, on a night that many players compared to the NBA Draft.
Shaquille O’Neal was the first pick for the team named after three-time Olympic champion Lebron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, who was the first player selected in the all-star draft.
The 40-year-old from Akron, Ohio, has played at the same high level that has characterized his career for the past 22 seasons, continuing to exceed all expectations of an elite athlete.
After being chosen by Kenny Smith, Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), who competed with James on Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, was the second player to be taken in the draft.
Edwards was a popular commodity during the all-star draft on February 6th, even though he was not selected as a starter in the initial round of player picks.
During Paris 2024, the 23-year-old Atlanta, Georgia native made friends with members of Team USA’s table tennis team while dazzling the court with incredible dunks and explosive moves.
The Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, the 2024 NBA MVP and bronze medallist in Paris, was his unexpected choice.
Charles Barkley ended the first of eight rounds in the all-star draft by selecting Jokic. Throughout the draft, the three broadcasting titans kept choosing players for their teams until all 24 all-stars were assigned to one of three team lineups.
Before the 2025 NBA All-Star Game, which will feature four teams of eight players—three of which are composed entirely of all-star players, and the fourth of which includes some of the league’s best young talent—the players will have time to assess their opponents.
The elimination bracket will include two semifinals and a championship game that is played to 40 points or more.
