The NBA officially ushered in a new era on Monday night, announcing the starters for the 2026 All-Star Game and confirming a radical shift in the event’s structure. At the center of the domestic lineup is Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who was voted a starter for the 11th time in his illustrious career.
Curry’s selection highlights his continued dominance in the league’s backcourt, even as the NBA landscape transforms around him. He joins a projected U.S. pool that includes New York’s Jalen Brunson, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey, and Boston’s Jaylen Brown. Under the league’s new “U.S. vs. The World” format, these American stars will be split into two squads to compete against a single “World” team in a round-robin tournament.
The format change is the most significant deviation from tradition in decades. Instead of a single 48-minute game, the event in Inglewood, California, will feature three teams competing in a series of 12-minute “mini-games.” The two teams with the best records from the round-robin stage will advance to the championship finale. This structural overhaul is designed to inject new competitive life into the midseason showcase, replacing the often non-competitive defense of past years with a tournament-style urgency.
While Curry’s spot was secured, the voting results underscored the growing global dominance in the sport. Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Dončić led all players with approximately 3.4 million fan votes, followed closely by Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo. They headline a formidable “World” roster that also features Denver’s Nikola Jokić, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama. The tie-breaker for the final Western Conference frontcourt spot saw Wembanyama edge out Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards due to the fan vote weighting.
The selection process remained consistent with recent years—fans accounted for 50% of the vote, while current players and a media panel contributed 25% each. However, the results produced a historic casualty: for the first time in 22 years, LeBron James was not selected as a starter. While James’ streak of 20 consecutive appearances is expected to continue via a reserve selection by the coaches, his absence from the starting five signals a definitive generational shift.
For Curry, however, the starter nod is business as usual. As the oldest starter in the group, he remains the bridge between the league’s established guard and its future. He will now look to lead one of the U.S. squads to victory in a format that finally pits the best American talent directly against the surging international stars who have claimed the last several MVP awards. The full rosters, including the 14 reserves selected by NBA coaches, will be announced on February 1.
