The 3 big 'forgotten' players in the NBA All-Star Game 2025 headlines

The 2025 All-Star Weekend in San Francisco is just around the corner. The NBA is determined to enhance the product by changing the format of the All-Star game. The league announced the five starters from both the East and West Conferences hours ago, and it's full of well-known and deserving names. As always, the announcements are met with both applause and controversy, especially for those left out. Although fan voting (50%) holds significant weight, media and player votes (25% each) also play an important role.

The West Conference is as stacked as ever. The starters are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Nikola Jokic. At least four of these players are undoubtedly Hall of Famers (Gilgeous-Alexander is also on that path). All four have MVP titles and NBA championships, and Gilgeous-Alexander hopes to achieve both this season.

The East Conference list may not match the West in accolades but is filled with young talents who could easily challenge the more experienced heads in the West. The All-Star starters from the East Conference are Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Karl-Anthony Towns.

The West Conference list is much more controversial than the East. Curry, James, and Durant are legends in their own right but are showing statistical decline and may not deserve the starter honor. The first player that comes to mind as more deserving is Victor Wembanyama. In his second season, Wemby is already dominating the league. He is likely to win the Defensive Player of the Year award and is averaging 24.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and four blocks per game.

Another significant omission is Anthony Davis. This is especially interesting because Davis' teammate, LeBron, made the list. Davis has been the Lakers' best player throughout the first half of the season, but the media constantly overlook him due to LeBron's fame. Davis is averaging 25.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 3.5 combined steals and blocks per game. On the other hand, LeBron is averaging 23.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.9 assists this season. This is a situation where the fan vote had a significant impact.

Another Controversy

A less controversial omission is Anthony Edwards and Curry. Curry, playing in San Francisco where the game will be held, undoubtedly benefited from fan voting and his legendary status in the league. He is averaging 22.6 points per game with a 40.7% shooting from beyond the arc, carrying the Golden State Warriors in a season where they are fighting to remain relevant. However, Edwards' case is more compelling when considering both individual and team performance.

Edwards leads the league with 184 made three-pointers and shoots an impressive 42.6% from long range. His scoring average of 26.2 points per game surpasses that of Curry, and he is averaging more rebounds and steals. Additionally, Edwards holds a significant defensive advantage over Curry, making him a more well-rounded player this season. The Timberwolves, with a better record than the Warriors, owe much of their success to Edwards' two-way brilliance. Unfortunately for Edwards, Curry had to be given the starting spot in his home court, making this omission less painful.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los 3 grandes "olvidados" entre los titulares para el NBA All-Star Game 2025