The NBA All-Star starters for 2024 have been unveiled, and there are a couple of starters who were snubbed.

Once again, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo were selected as Captains for this year’s all-star game. Going back to the Eastern and Western Conference setup, James will represent the west, and Giannis, the east. To qualify as captain, a player must receive the highest number of votes in their conference.

With a return to the conference structure, there will be no draft conducted by both captains. As a result of the format change, the game will consist of four 12-minute quarters.

You might be curious about the factors that determine all-star selections and the distribution of the votes. As per NBA Communications, 50 percent of the votes come from fans, 25 percent from NBA players, and the remaining 25 percent from select media.

Subsequently, the players are ranked by position, with both the east and the west having two guards and three frontcourt starters.

Newly appointed Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers will guide the eastern conference, while Chris Finch, from the Minnesota Timberwolves, will coach the west. The reserves, who are chosen by NBA head coaches, will be announced on Feb. 1.

The TNT crew, led by Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie John, and Kenny Smith (Kenny the jet Smith), will reveal the reserves next week. With the reserves, each conference team will have an additional two guards, three frontcourt players and two wild card roster spots.

Year after year, the final outcomes always face criticism from players and the fanbase. But let’s first dissect this year’s starters:

NBA All-Star Starters: Eastern Conference

• Giannis Antetokounmpo: Milwaukee Bucks (Captain)
• Joel Embiid: Philadelphia 76ers
• Jayson Tatum: Boston Celtics
• Tyrese Haliburton: Indiana Pacers
• Damian Lillard: Milwaukee Bucks

In the east, captain Giannis Antetokounmpo is chosen for his 8th consecutive all-star selection as a starter. Now in his 11th NBA season, Antetokounmpo is recording a career-high 31.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 6.2 assists, on 60.5 percent field goal shooting.

Nicknamed the “Greek Freak,” Antetokounmpo is coming off impressive triple doubles in consecutive games against the Cavaliers and Pistons. Truly an unstoppable force, No. 34 achieved a career-high and franchise record 64 points in December.

Joel Embiid, from the 76ers, is having another season with MVP-level performances. Securing his seventh NBA all-star selection, Embiid is producing a league-leading 36 points, 11.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.8 blocks.

A dominant force in the east, Embiid recently achieved a career-high and franchise record 70 points on Monday night. With that exceptional performance, he grabbed 18 rebounds and dished out five assists. One of the best big men in the history of the game, Kevin Garnett recently likened Embiid to “Shaq with a jump shot.”

Jayson Tatum, from the Boston Celtics, will earn his 5th consecutive NBA all-star selection. At just 25 years old, Tatum is the driving force of the C’s. After a dominant win over eastern conference rival Miami Heat, Tatum expressed his gratitude for the selection.

“It means the world”, Tatum told Celtics on NBC Sports Boston. “I never get used to it. I never want to take it for granted. As a kid, it was my dream.”

Leading Boston to an NBA best 35-10 record, he’s averaging 27 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and one steal. Improving his post-up game and strength, he earned the third overall fan-votes, behind Giannis and LeBron.

ALL-STAR STARTER ⭐️

Tyrese Haliburton has been named a starter for the 2024 #NBAAllStar Game in Indy.

🔗 https://t.co/buwgCdB36v pic.twitter.com/MRvYfCHS8P

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) January 26, 2024

Tyrese Haliburton, from the Indiana Pacers will have a unique opportunity to play in front of his home fans. Despite being sidelined with a hamstring injury, Haliburton has emerged as one of the brightest stars in the league. A 2x all-star, the Pacers guard will be named a starter for the first time in his career.

Leading the Pacers to a 25-20 record, he’s averaging a career-high 23.6 points, 12.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and 4.1 rebounds. Recently, Haliburton achieved a career-high 23 rebounds along with 22 points in late December.

A deft and athletic facilitator, Haliburton finds inventive ways to score at the rim and presents a threat from deep.

“All-Star Starter, man. Been sitting here soaking this in like damn I wasn’t supposed to be here, but I put in the work, it was written! To my peers, the media, and the fans…This can’t happen without y’all.” Haliburton recently shared his thoughts on getting the nod as a starter.

Damian Lillard, from the Milwaukee Bucks, will be honored with a starter position for the first time in his career. An 8x NBA All-Star, Lillard is averaging 25.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in his debut season with Milwaukee.

Known as “Dame Time,” Lillard remains one of the most prolific scorers in the league. Accumulating seven double-doubles in the season, Lillard continues to be one of the most clutch players in the NBA.

NBA All-Star Starters: Western Conference

• LeBron James: Los Angeles Lakers (Captain)
• Kevin Durant: Phoenix Suns
• Nikola Jokic: Denver Nuggets
• Luka Doncic: Dallas Mavericks

LeBron James, from the Los Angeles Lakers, is well acquainted with all-star weekend. With 20 NBA All-Star appearances, James made history in the NBA, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most selections ever. Named a starter for all 20 years, James continues his streak since the 2005 season.

With the Lakers at 23-23 on the season, LeBron is delivering remarkable statistics, especially considering his age. Averaging 24.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.3 steals, James shows no signs of slowing down.

His 39.7 percent three-point shooting is the highest it has been since the 2012-2013 season. A crucial part of the Lakers team, James had a gracious reaction to yet another selection.

“It’s just humbling. It’s very cool to be able to continue to have accomplishments throughout your career, ” James told the Media on X.

Kevin Durant, from the Phoenix Suns, a 14x NBA All-Star, has been chosen for his first as a member of the Suns. Anticipated to have high expectations before the season with the addition of Bradley Beal, Phoenix experienced notable injuries to Beal throughout the season.

Durant has stepped up and exceeded expectations. In 37 games played, Durant is averaging 29.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks, on 45.5 percent three-point shooting. 10th all time on the NBA’s scoring list, he is the first Suns player to start an All-Star game since Amar’e Stoudemire and Steve Nash.

Nikola Jokic, from the Denver Nuggets, has been chosen for his 6th consecutive All-Star game. A core member of the reigning NBA Champions, Jokic is averaging 26.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1.1 blocks on 59.3 percent field goal shooting.

Leading in player and media voting, the Joker leads the NBA in triple-doubles this season. Ranked 4th in assists and rebounds per game, Jokic recently delivered a game winning 31-point triple double against the Pacers.

Luka Doncic, from the Dallas Mavericks, is set to participate in his 5th NBA All-Star event, and will start for the 4th time. As the player with the most All-Star starts in Maverick’s history, Doncic is delivering performance at the level of a potential MVP. Occupying the second spot in scoring, the guard maintains an average of 33.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 9.3 assists, with a field goal shooting percentage at 48.2.

Currently in his 6th NBA season, Doncic is achieving career-highs in points, assists, three-point accuracy, and time on the court. By finishing second in both player and media voting, at just 24 years old, Doncic continues to hold a position as one of the premier guards in the league.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, representing the Oklahoma City Thunder, is poised for his second NBA All-Star appearance. Selected as a starter for the first time, SGA continues to achieve personal bests for OKC, who currently lead the Western Conference standings.

With an average of 31.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.4 assists, Gilgeous-Alexander’s smooth mid-range jump shot and adept ball-handling skills make him an elite scorer. SGA also holds the top spot in the NBA for the most games with 30 or more points this season. While this might come as a surprise to some, his inclusion is well-deserved.

All-Star Starter Snubs

As it is the case every year, the All-Star game tends to disappoint fans and even some players. Unfortunately, that’s just the way sports go. While I hold great respect for all the respective starting players, there are a few players who could have easily been elected as starters based on their skills and performance this season.

Eastern Conference

Donovan Mitchell, of the Cleveland Cavaliers: Now in his second season with the Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell has elevated his game to new levels during the past two seasons. Averaging the 6th highest points per game (27.6), the guard is contributing 5.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.9 steals.

Amidst the Cavaliers’ injury woes, Mitchell has been carrying the team. Despite a slow start, the Cavaliers currently hold a 26-16 season record, and are 8-2 in their last ten games. The team’s leading scorer, Mitchell is setting career highs in assists, rebounds, and steals. He demonstrated his full talent in Paris, putting up 45 points, 12 rebounds, 4 steals, and 6 assists against Brooklyn.

Jalen Brunson, representing the New York Knicks: There have been numerous debates about whether Knicks guard Jalen Brunson is truly a primary option or not. What I can affirm is that he is a phenomenal player, leading the team to their best initial performances in years.

With a 28-17 season record, Brunson is achieving career-highs in points (26.5), assists (6.4), three-point accuracy (42.4 %), minutes (35.6), and field goal attempts. Possessing one of the smoothest mid-range jump shots in the game, his 59 percent true shooting is also his career best.

The dominant figure in New York, Brunson ranks third in total points among guards (1,139). By finishing second in media voting, Brunson sustains his position as one of the top guards in the east.

Western Conference

Kawhi Leonard, of the Los Angeles Clippers: Let’s not deny it, when Kawhi Leonard is fit, he is among the top players in the NBA. In full fitness this season, Leonard holds averages of 23.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.7 steals. As one of the best two-way players in the game, Leonard’s shooting accuracy stands at a notable 44.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 52.2 percent from the field.

Despite a 28-14 record, the Clippers won’t have a single starter, which includes James Harden and Paul George. As the MVP of the 2019-2020 All-Star game, Kawhi has been absent for only four games this season. The Clippers stand as one of the top teams in the west, and outperform their opponents by over 11 points per game when Leonard is on the court.

Honorable Mention

• Steph Curry: Golden State Warriors
• Trae Young: Atlanta Hawks

The 2024 73rd NBA All-Star game is set to take place on Feb. 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN.