- The NBA All-Star Game is on February 16, and the rosters have been finalized for the Eastern and Western Conferences.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis will miss out on the All-Star Game with injuries.
- Trae Young will replace Antetokounmpo on the Eastern Conference team, and Kyrie Irving takes Davis’ place on the Western Conference team.
The 2025 NBA All-Star Game takes place on February 16, as the sports world looks to fill the void left by the NFL after Super Bowl 59.
There will be a couple of stars missing out on the game at San Francisco’s Chase Center as Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dallas’ Anthony Davis are injured. They’ll be replaced by Atlanta’s Trae Young and Davis’ new Dallas teammate, Kyrie Irving.
Antetokounmpo to Miss Out Due to Calf Injury, Young Makes his Fourth All-Star Game
It was announced on February 9 that Antetokounmpo will be out until after the All-Star break to deal with a left calf strain. Less than 24 hours later, NBA commissioner Adam Silver named Young to the Eastern Conference All-Stars.
Young was originally upset at not making the All-Star team, tweeting his displeasure on January 30 when the teams were announced.
Young, 26, was named to his fourth All-Star Game, averaging 23.4 points per game. His 11.4 assists per game leads the NBA. The seventh-year guard is the perfect player for a team’s NBA All-Star Game odds as he plays the game with a flair that this event badly needs.
Furthermore, remember that these players won’t be playing Eastern vs. Western Conference. TNT analysts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith will pick teams from the 24 overall All-Stars. Fellow TNT analyst Candace Parker will manage the winning team from the Rising Star Challenge.
But either way, Young’s inclusion will be a welcome addition to this season’s All-Star Game.
Davis Out Because of Adductor Strain, Irving an All-Star for the Ninth Time
Meanwhile, Davis was included in the monster Luka Dončić trade with the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers. The 31-year-old got off to a massive start in his Dallas debut on February 8, putting up 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks. However, Davis will now miss a month, at least with an adductor injury he suffered in that game against Houston.
His new Dallas teammate, Irving, will replace Davis among the Western Conference All-Stars. Irving, 32, is averaging 24.2 points, 4.9 assists, and 4.7 rebounds for the Mavericks. He is also having a terrific shooting season, hitting 47.4% of his field-goal attempts, including 40.4% from three-point land, and 89.9% from the free-throw line.
Like Young, Irving is a fantastic addition to the All-Star roster as he is as skilled as anyone in the league. Many NBA players, past and present, believe that Irving is the most skilled player in the NBA right now. The NBA All-Star Game has gotten lambasted for not being competitive enough, and this new format is another attempt to change that. But if you want to elaborate on an event that showcases skill, Irving is at the top of that list of players you’d want to see in the game.
