NBA announces! Farewell, LeBron James! Goodbye, Kevin Durant!

After much anticipation, the NBA All-Star starters have been revealed:

West: Doncic, Jokic, Alexander, Curry, and Wembanyama;

East: Brunson, Giannis, Maxey, Cunningham, and Jaylen Brown.

What? This is unprecedented and unbelievable.

The league’s biggest stars both missing the All-Star starters clearly signals the close of a significant chapter in NBA history.

Before this,LeBron James had been selected as an All-Star starter for 21 consecutive years, yet this year he only ranked eighth in fan voting, eighth in player voting, and ninth in media voting; Durant placed ninth in fan voting, fifth in player voting, and seventh in media voting.

Surely LeBron and Durant won’t even make the All-Star reserves? Adam Silver probably won’t allow that, since both still bring notable viewership and sentimental value.

Indeed, the new generation is surpassing the veterans, and we must admit there is some fatigue among fans. Although the seasoned stars remain highly skilled, they are no longer the absolute favorites of the audience.

Of course,Curry (nearing 38) is an exception; he is the oldest player among this year’s All-Star starters, ranking third in player votes, second in fan votes (only behind Jokic), and sixth in media votes. His popularity and skill remain at the top tier of the league.

By the way, this year’s Western All-Star starters form a truly international team, with Curry the only American. Doncic is Slovenian, Jokic Serbian, Alexander Canadian, and Wembanyama French. This lineup is incredibly strong, though it might lack the entertainment value compared to the Eastern starters.

The most exciting part of the All-Star game is always the variety of flashy dunks, yet aside from Wembanyama, the Western starters are more ground-based players. Curry even struggles with dunks now. In contrast, every Eastern starter has the athleticism to soar and slam the rim with relentless energy.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend will be held from February 13 to 15 at the Los Angeles Clippers’ home court, the Intuit Dome, with the main game scheduled for February 15.

Grab your snacks and get ready for the main event to begin.