The 74th NBA All-Star Game begins at 8 p.m. ET Sunday on TNT with a new tournament-style format but legend LeBron James will not be participating after earning his record 21st All-Star nod.
James was a late scratch Sunday due to lingering ankle soreness. So it might be fair to say he isn’t taking the event super seriously. Still, the show must go on.
Similar to the Rising Stars challenge, the NBA All-Stars will compete in a three-game tournament. The All-Stars have been split into three teams — through an All-Star Draft conducted by TNT analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith. The first two matchups are Team Shaq vs. Team Candace Parker, and Team Chuck vs. Team Kenny. Parker’s team qualified Friday as the winner of the Rising Stars Challenge when it was coached by Chris Mullin, and it features Stephon Castle, Dalton Knecht, Jaylen Wells, Zach Edey and others.
For each game in Sunday’s tournament, the winner will be the first team to reach or surpass 40 points.
As for prize money, each player on the championship-winning team will receive $125,000; each player on the second-place team will receive $50,000; and each player on the third- and fourth-place teams will receive $25,000.
LeBron James won’t be playing Sunday night. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
The rosters
The All-Star teams are comprised of the East and West starters (voted by fans, players and media members) and reserves (voted by coaches). Trae Young and Kyrie Irving were named as injury replacements for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis, respectively.
Here’s a breakdown of the rosters (listed in order of how each team was drafted).
Shaq’s OGs
Kenny’s Young Stars
Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
Jalen Brunson, Knicks
Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies
Jalen Williams, Thunder
Darius Garland, Cavaliers
Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
Cade Cunningham, Pistons
Tyler Herro, Heat
Chuck’s Global Stars
Nikola Jokić, Nuggets
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks*
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
Pascal Siakam, Pacers
Alperen Şengün, Rockets
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
Trae Young, Hawks
*injured
Team Candace
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Ryan Dunn, Phoenix Suns
Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Golden State Warriors
Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets (added by Parker after Friday’s games)
Live2 updates
NBA commish Adam Silver talks state of the league
NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks during a press conference at All-Star Saturday night festivities Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
SAN FRANCISCO — NBA commissioner Adam Silver sees all and hears all: the praise of where his game is or, most importantly, the constant critique the NBA is subject to, almost on a daily basis.
The never-ending 3-point discussion, one that even he has chimed in on at times.
The money element, the financial decisions that have played a big part in trades involving Luka Dončić, Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns, and the standoff with Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.
The officiating, the challenges with a million camera angles and a million more opinions on social media and in NBA locker rooms.
And he’s even contributed to it in ways, jokingly throwing gasoline onto the discourse by suggesting 10-minute quarters instead of the usual 12 — a suggestion that earned a decent amount of criticism.
“I try to read it all, frankly, and we try to absorb it at the league office,” Silver said during his annual news conference at All-Star Weekend inside Chase Center. “I think the state of the game is excellent. I think it’s the media’s role, the fans’ role, it’s perfectly appropriate to be critical of the game, and I find it very helpful. I’m not one of those people who said I don’t read criticism.”
How Silver is trying to shape the league.
Mon, February 17, 2025 at 1:00 AM GMT+1
How did we get here on All-Star Weekend and what did we miss?
<img class="caas-img caas-lazy has-preview" alt="Osceola Magic guard Mac McClung dunks over a car during the slam dunk contest at the NBA basketball All-Star Saturday night festivities Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Gd0XICr1r0lH8oiw7PS4pQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyODA7aD03MjA-/https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-02/aa5d2270-ecb9-11ef-ad5f-2112806c3ddd”/>
Osceola Magic guard Mac McClung dunks over a car during the slam dunk contest at the NBA All-Star Saturday night festivities Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Nobody was beating Mac McClung in his three-peat bid.
The Magic G Leaguer was once again the runaway slam dunk contest winner for his third-straight title Saturday night in a performance for the ages. He started things with a dunk worthy of a closer and continued to wow with each successive dunk. Each of McClung’s dunks earned a perfect 50 score.
Catch up on all of NBA All-Star Saturday night.
