Back to the Top News Newsfeed

2025 NBA All-Stars: Selecting East starters and reserves involves an unexpected choice

After writing up the Western Conference portion of my official media ballot for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game on Wednesday, let's do the same for the East.

(Quick refresher: You vote for three frontcourt players and two guards in each conference. Fan voting makes up 50% of the final result, with player and media ballots accounting for 25% each.)

All stats and records entering Thursday’s games.

East All-Star starters

FC Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks

FC Jayson Tatum, Celtics

FC Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks

G Jalen Brunson, Knicks

G Darius Garland, Cavaliers

The East's best player: With apologies to Evan Mobley (whose name, spoiler alert, you’re about to see again in a few minutes) and Franz Wagner (who was playing at an All-NBA level before suffering the torn oblique that’s cost him the last six-plus weeks), I found the selection process for the Eastern frontcourt pretty easy, starting with Antetokounmpo, who’s been, for my money, the best player in the conference through the first half of the season.