Embrace Debate: Figuring Out The 2025 NBA All Star Rosters Is The Toughest It's Been In Years
Now that we're in 2025, it's time we change up the NBA debate topics. Things like 3pt shooting volume, TV ratings, rule changes etc, we can leave all that shit in 2024. At this point, we've all talked about those topics to death.
In 2025, there are way more entertaining things to spend time debating or talking about. From here on out we get things like All NBA, All Defense, MVP, title contenders, you know, things that everyone will surely be unbiased about which will naturally lead to a civil and calm discourse.
Just kidding, no chance that happens.
We also get the talk through this year's All Star selections, and with about 6 weeks until the festivities we're going to start seeing the voting totals and different cases for different players, all of which are way more fun to talk about than say, TV ratings that not a single person reading this blog gives a flying fuck about.
There's one thing to remember when it comes to All Star selections. There is no requirement for games played like there are for all the other awards (65 games). Technically, as long as you are a current NBA player, you are eligible. This is important because with guys hurt and missing a ton of time, how that impacts the voting is going to be interesting simply because there are so many worthy candidates at all positions in both conferences. Someone who is having an All Star caliber year is going to get passed over by a guy who has been hurt and missed a ton of time, but is still very clearly an All Star player.
Before we dive into the candidates, it's important to remember what the structure of the All Star rosters is. Starters are comprised of 2 guards and 3 frontcourt players, and usually one of those frontcourt guys is a true center. The reserves are two guards, 3 frontcourt, and then 2 wildcard positions that could be anything. More guards? More frontcourt guys? Who knows!
Barring injury replacements, in total, we usually see 5 guards, 5 forwards, and 2 centers. Things can differ a little bit based on who may get hurt and who Adam Silver selects to fill that spot, but for the most part, we get that 5-5-2 split for the 12 roster spots.
Now that you know what has to be filled, the fun can begin trying to figure out who the hell gets the nod.
Eastern Conference
Starters
In the East, these are the players I think 100% of people will agree should be the All Star starter locks: Giannis, Jayson Tatum, KAT, and Donovan Mitchell. I'm not sure any of this needs all that much explanation. Based on the format, that covers the 3 frontcourt and one of the backcourt, which leaves one more open roster spot for the guard position.
That's where the fan voting is going to come into play. If someone like Jalen Brunson ends up snagging it, I don't see too many issues with that. He's had a great year. But you also have guys like Dame and Trae Young who are going to be in the running for that final spot, but given the team success and the market size/fan vote, it wouldn't shock me if Brunson won it. He has slightly better production than Dame in more games played on a team that is ahead in the standings. That should matter in my humble opinion.
So if we remove Giannis/Tatum/KAT/Mitchell/Brunson from the pool, now we need to full the 2 guard-3 frontcourt-2 wild card slots. Let's go by position:
Pick 2 guards from this group: Trae Young, Darius Garland Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard, LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Maxey, Tyler Herro, Derrick White, Zach LaVine
Right off the bat, you see how impossible this process is going to be. I just listed 9 players at the guard position, all of which have a legit All Star case. Right away, you can take out Dame, who is an easy nod. For that last spot I'm not sure where you go. Trae Young leads the NBA in assists, but his efficiency is way down in the 30s. Haliburton broke through last year, but it's been a bit of a "down" season by his standards. LaMelo has the flashy numbers, but his team stinks. Derrick White might end up making an All NBA team but isn't your typical All Star. Sort of like Al Jefferson back in 2013 who did just that.
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So for me, for my two bench guard spots, I'm going with Dame and Cade Cunningham. If you aren't watching Cade play, you need to. His leap is for real and the Pistons already have as many wins now as they did all of last year, plus he has the efficiency to match despite having no spacing around him.
OK, now for the frontcourt
Pick 3 frontcourt from this group: Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Jalen Johnson, Pascal Siakam, RJ Barrett, Bam Adebayo, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Jimmy Butler, Nikola Vucevic, OG Anunoby, Cam Johnson, Scottie Barnes
Now, first off, I don't really know what to do with Paolo and Franz from the Magic. Both would be surefire All Stars, but I have no idea if they're going to be healthy, plus Paolo has played just 5 games this season. For my own list, I think you have to remove them at least from this stage. Maybe the wildcard, but of this group, at least these other guys are playing.
Knowing this group is most likely 2 wings/forwards and the other is a center, there is really only one lock in this group, which is Jaylen Brown.
What I have no idea what to do with is Joel Embiid. My guess is from now until the All Star Break, he'll play around 20+ games. Is that enough to get him included? I can see both sides of the argument. When he's on the floor, he's absolutely an All Star. I mean, it's Joel Embiid. But I can also see the side of those who say he should be left out due to availability. At this moment in time if he breaks the 20 games played mark I can't imagine the NBA leaves him off, so I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say he's snagging one of the final 2 spots for this group.
That means if we were to fill that last spot with a wing, I really do think Jalen Johnson has a legitimate argument for it. He's had a better season than Butler, Barrett, Cam Johnson, and Barnes in my opinion, and the Hawks are sneaky better than most people expected. Granted, I'm writing this on January 2nd, and it pretty much comes down to Siakam/Johnson for me, and at the moment I'm leaning Siakam.
OK, now to the wild card spots
Pick 2 players (any position) from this group: Trae Young, Haliburton, LaMelo Ball, Maxey, Herro, White, Garland, LaVine, Jalen Johnson, Barrett, Bam, Jarett Allen, Butler, Vucevic, OG, Cam, Mobley.
For starters, you're out of your mind if you think the Cavs are only getting 1 All Star, so one of these spots is going to either Mobley/Allen/Garland. Personally, I'd go Mobley. His leap has been such a massive part of the Cavs success, and winning matters to me.
So that leaves one final spot for everyone else. I'm not even sure how you decide if we're being honest. I think you sort of have to lean Tyler Herro based on what he's currently doing in MIA, but again, a guy like Trae Young leads the NBA in assists for a team that is right in line with MIA in terms of record. Of everyone left, I do think Herro has done enough to separate himself though, so he's probably my pick.
All in all that nets out to the following
Starters: Giannis, Tatum, KAT, Mitchell, Brunson
Reserves: Jaylen Brown, Embiid, Dame, Cade Cunningham, Siakam, Mobley, Herro
If someone were to get hurt and the replacements could be any position, this is where I think you see Trae Young, Haliburton, Garland, Jalen Johnson, Barrett, Allen etc.
As you can see, some pretty awesome players are getting left off the list, and guess what? It's even tougher in the West
Western Conference
Starters
Same situation in the West, while the East had 4 locks in the 5 slots, I feel pretty confident that in the West, all 5 starting spots are easy locks: Jokic, Durant, LeBron, SGA, Luka
No need to spend time debating that. That's about as no brainer as no brainer gets, and anything outside of that would truly be wild to see.
OK, now we remove all those guys from the pool and move onto the backcourt
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Pick 2 guards from this group: De'Aaron Fox, Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, Kyrie Irving, Steph Curry, Norman Powell, James Harden, Ja Morant
We can check one name off the list right off the bat, which is Steph Curry. I'm not sure if you heard, but the All Star Game is in GS. Something tells me Steph is going to be involved.
From there, where do you go? Fox is a guy who has the production, but his team is kind of dogshit. Norman Powell has been incredible in this post Paul George world, as has James Harden at this stage of his career. Anthony Edwards is having another great season, as is Kyrie Irving.
For me, I think at this point of the season I have to give the nod to Kyrie here, over someone like Ant. That might sound crazy but their production is essentially the same, with Kyrie's 49/44% splits slightly edging out Ant, plus his team has been better this season.
OK, now for the frontcourt
Pick 3 frontcourt from this group: Anthony Davis, Wemby, JJJ, Anthony Edwards, Sabonis, Julius Randle, Alperen Sengun, Brandon Ingram, Jalen Williams, Lauri Markkanen
Here's where things start to get a little interesting. I think at this point we can mostly agree that of this group, Wemby and Ant are locks. That takes care of a reserve wing and center.
The debate then becomes, who do you go with between guys AD/JJJ/Jalen Williams?
It seems insane to think OKC would only have 1 All Star, so Jalen Williams has to get the nod at some point I would say. I think if we're being truthful, the 3 coming out of this group should be AD/Wemby/Ant. I know it looks weird to have that many back up centers, but AD is a really 4 and Wemby is an alien so to me it works just fine.
OK, now to the wild card
Pick 2 players (any position) from this group: De'Aaron Fox, Devin Booker, Normal Powell, James Harden, Ja Morant, JJJ, Sabonis, Randle, Sengun, Ingram, J-Dub, Markkanen
Welcome to arguably the most impossible part of this entire process. As I said, OKC getting 1 All Star feels a little crazy, but what, teams like HOU (2nd in the West) and MEM (3rd in the West) get 0 All Stars? That doesn't exactly feel right either.
Given their team success and the production to match, it does seem plausible that the final two wild card slots go to JJJ/D-Dub. Tough break for the Clippers guys who have been better than expected, Fox for big numbers on a bad team, and a guy like Sengun who has been awesome for a top 3 team in the West. But that's the whole point of this exercise, someone is going to get screwed.
In terms of replacements, Sengun/Fox would be at the top of the list for me, but as of now, they're probably on the outside looking in.
All in all that nets out to the following
Starters: Jokic, Durant, LeBron, SGA, Luka,
Reserves: Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving, Wemby, Ant, AD, JJJ, J-Dub
As I said, with 6 weeks to go things can certainly change. Guys can get hurt and other guys can go on a huge run and make it impossible to leave them off, but what's pretty undeniable is the fact that the talent level in both conferences is making this process harder and harder as each year goes by. Former All Stars are no longer making the cut for the new generation, there's really no wrong answer with a lot of these debates considering at most it's splitting hairs, and to me that tells you the league is in a great place.
Now surely everyone will agree with where I've netted out so far on January 2nd, but if not let's hear in the comments where you'd go instead.