It’s a brave new world – again – for the NBA All-Star Game.
In December, the league announced the format for the game would change – insert Kevin Durant eyeroll – and feature a three-game format with four teams, each selected by a general manager. There will be two semifinals and a final, all played on Feb. 16.
Three of the general managers – Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith – made their draft picks Thursday night during TNT’s pregame telecast. Candace Parker will make her selections from the Rising Stars final game, scheduled for Feb. 14. Each team is made up of eight players, but no team could have more than five All-Stars who had been named starters.
O’Neal got the first pick to kick off the snake draft, with Ernie Johnson leading the festivities and inserting barbs when appropriate – which was often.
The NBA All-Star Game teams, with players in order of selection:
(* denotes starter)
Team Chuck
Nikola Jokic*
Giannis Antetokounmpo*
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander*
Victor Wembanyama
Pascal Siakam
Alperen Sengun
Karl-Anthony Towns*
Donovan Mitchell*
Team Kenny
Anthony Edwards
Jalen Brunson*
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Jalen Williams
Darius Garland
Evan Mobley
Cade Cunningham
Tyler Herro
Team Shaq
LeBron James*
Stephen Curry*
Anthony Davis
Jayson Tatum*
Kevin Durant*
Damian Lillard
James Harden
Jaylen Brown
Team Candace
The Rising Stars final game will provide the players for Team Candace. Parker will draft after the final, scheduled for Feb. 14.
All-Star Game format
To generate a more competitive game, this season’s All-Star Game will feature a mini-tournament with four teams in a three-game event.
Two teams will play in one semifinal and the other two teams will play in the other semifinal with the winners meeting in the final. The first team to reach 40 points in each game is the winner.
Each team will have eight players – three teams will be made up of the 24 NBA All-Stars and the other team will be players from the championship game of the Rising Stars game.
The coaches for each team at the All-Star Game will come from the coaching staffs with the best record in each conference in games played through Feb. 2. The head coach from the East (Cleveland’s Kenny Atkinson) and the head coach from the West (Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault) will each lead one of the NBA All-Star teams, an assistant coach from one team will coach the other NBA All-Star team and another assistant will coach the Rising Stars team.
NBA All-Star Game prize money
Each player on winning team: $125,000
Each player on second-place team: $50,000
Each player on third- and fourth-place teams: $25,000
When is the All-Star Game?
The NBA All-Star Game is Feb. 16.
Where is the NBA All-Star Game?
The NBA All-Star Game will be played at San Francisco’s Chase Center.
What time is the NBA All-Star Game?
The first semifinal is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET on Feb. 16 and will be shown on TNT. The second semifinal will follow, with the winners meeting in the final.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.