The 2024 NBA All-Star Game starters will officially be revealed on Thursday night during TNT NBA Tip-Off. The five players from the Eastern Conference and five players from the Western Conference who will have the honor of starting in the All-Star Game may have already been hinted at in the final fan voting results from last Thursday.
From the East, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo led all players with 4,309,630 total votes. Los Angeles Lakers 19-time All-Star LeBron James came in with 3,938,571 total votes, the second-most in the league and the most in the West. Given that the fan vote concluded a few days after these votes were tallied, it's possible some players could have overtaken others.
The fans account for 50 percent of the vote to determine the starters for this year's NBA All-Star Game. Current NBA players and a media panel account for the remaining 25 percent each. Just because some players ranked high in the fan vote doesn't necessarily mean they will be starters in the All-Star Game when all is said and done.
To earn starter recognition for the NBA All-Star Game is a huge honor. This means you are regarded as one of the best players in the league at your respective position. Giannis and LeBron seem like locks to be starters, as do MVP frontrunners Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic from the East and West, respectively. But one player who has been having an incredible season to this point who has earned the right to be a starter in this year's All-Star Game is New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson.
One of the top scorers in the league and the reason why the Knicks are a true threat in the East, Brunson should undoubtedly be making his first All-Star appearance of his career. However, Brunson was placed sixth among guards in the fan voting results. Will the players and media have a different opinion and viewpoint on the guard's chances of starting this season?
Along with my personal picks for who I feel deserves to be an All-Star starter this season, there are also predictions on who will most likely be named a starter. Basically, you're going to see who should be an All-Star starter versus who is going to be an All-Star starter. Let's dive right into things, starting with the Eastern Conference.
Eastern Conference All-Star starter picks, predictions
Picks: Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
Predictions: Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
Giannis, Embiid, and Jayson Tatum are all going to be starters in this year's All-Star Game representing the Eastern Conference. They finished 1-3 in the fan vote for frontcourt players from the East, and all three of their teams reside at the top of the standings. As far as backcourt talent goes, this is where things get interesting.
Tyrese Haliburton, Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young, and Damian Lillard are all options to be named an All-Star starter. While Haliburton and Brunson are my picks, it is possible that Brunson winds up missing out on this opportunity due to where he came in during the fan vote. As far as who the players and media will pick, Mitchell ranked second in the player's vote and first in the media vote last season. It is much more likely that Mitchell gets the nod over Brunson to start in the All-Star Game than vice versa, especially with the Cavs surging up the standings without Darius Garland and Evan Mobley.
Tyrese Haliburton – Indiana Pacers
The 2024 NBA All-Star Game is in Indianapolis, giving more reason as to why Tyrese Haliburton should be a starter. Haliburton, who has missed some games as of late, has put the Indiana Pacers in a position to contend in the East and make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Leading the league with 12.6 assists per game, Haliburton has blossomed into one of the best playmakers in the world. As far as numbers go, the 23-year-old's 52.2% assist rate this season is the highest since Russell Westbrook's 57.3 percent during the 2016-17 season, according to Basketball Reference. Take that for data!
Jalen Brunson – New York Knicks
Picking the East backcourt starters this season is a matter of opinion. When you look at what Brunson has done, it's clear to see why he deserves this recognition. Brunson ranks 12th in scoring and sixth in total points. The Knicks guard is also tied with Nikola Jokic for the eighth-most 30-point games this season, scoring at least 30 points in 16 of the 42 games he has played in. The fact of the matter is that the Knicks would not be in a position to contend in the East without Brunson. His consistent scoring production should not be overshadowed by the notion that he is going to be a first-time All-Star.
Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are the best team in the NBA. Jayson Tatum will be earning yet another All-Star starter spot, his fifth straight season earning All-Star honors altogether. Through 41 games, Tatum has averaged 27.0 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 46.9 percent from the floor. He is just one of six players averaging at least 25 points and eight rebounds per game this season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
Aside from the fact that the Milwaukee Bucks have switched coaches in the middle of the season, Giannis has been having another stellar year. In fact, this may be the two-time MVP's best season yet. Antetokounmpo is currently averaging career-high marks in points (31.2), assists (6.1), and shooting percentage (60.3%). Plus, Giannis has six triple-doubles this season, putting him behind Nikola Jokic (13), Domantas Sabonis (12), and Luka Doncic (8) for the league lead. The top vote-getter in the fan vote, Antetokounmpo should rank first in both the player and media vote as well to be an All-Star starter.
Joel Embiid – Philadelphia 76ers
Much like Giannis, Embiid being an All-Star starter is a given. Anyone who doesn't vote for Embiid to be a starter should never be allowed to vote for anything pertaining to this league ever again. The Philadelphia 76ers are 26-6 in games that Embiid has played in this season, and the big man is well on his way to another MVP award. Embiid is currently leading the league in scoring for the third straight season at 36.1 points per game and recently became the ninth player in NBA history to have at least 70 points in a game.
Western Conference All-Star starter picks, predictions
Picks: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
Predictions: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets)
Similar to the East frontcourt, the West frontcourt seems to be locked in. Perhaps someone like Anthony Davis or Kawhi Leonard will receive votes from the media and players over Kevin Durant, but it would come as a shock to see Durant, James, or Jokic left out of the starting five. Jokic is in the MVP conversation with Embiid, James continues to look ageless at 39, and Durant is statistically having one of the best seasons of his now 16-year career.
In the backcourt, Luka Doncic should be in line to make his second straight start in the All-Star Game. The question in the West revolves around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been arguably the most impressive talent in the league this season given how he has improved everything about the Oklahoma City Thunder. It should wind up being a tight race between Gilgeous-Alexander and Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry for the starting guard spot alongside Doncic.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
Currently fourth in the league in scoring (31.1), first in total points (1,339), and first in 30-point games (32), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been one of the most impressive all-around talents this season. Defensively, Shai has also helped make the Thunder an elite defensive team, averaging a league-high 2.3 steals per game. At just 25 years old, Gilgeous-Alexander continues to blossom into a true superstar who is as deadly as they come in isolation sets. Given both his personal success and team success this season, there is really no argument that can be made against SGA starting in this year's All-Star Game.
Luka Doncic – Dallas Mavericks
If it wasn't for Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks would probably be in the play-in tournament region of the Western Conference standings, or worse. A 30-point maestro who ranks third in triple-doubles, Doncic is one of the faces of the league at just 24 years old. Luka is one of those players who has a higher IQ than everyone else out there on the court. As far as the All-Star Game goes, Doncic received the most fan votes out of any backcourt talent in the East. A similar trend will continue with the player and media vote.
LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers
At 39 years old, LeBron is still LeBron. Averaging 24.8 points per game, a slight decline from where he was last season, James ranks 18th in the league in scoring. His 39.1 three-point shooting percentage is the best of his career since the 2012-13 season with the Miami Heat. This will mark the 20th season in which James has been named an All-Star, making him the only player in league history to accomplish such a feat.
Kevin Durant – Phoenix Suns
When Kevin Durant tore his Achilles in 2019 at 30 years old, many wondered if he would ever be the same player. Well, Durant is perfectly fine and may actually be better than he was pre-Achilles injury. Durant is shooting a career-best 45.5 percent from three-point range this season with the Phoenix Suns, and he is one of eight players with at least four 40-point games this year. Perhaps the deadliest mid-range shooter we have seen in this league since Kobe Bryant, Durant will make his 12th start in his 14th All-Star Game this season.
Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic is right at the top of the MVP conversation with Embiid this season. Nearly averaging a triple-double, Jokic continues to redefine the modern-day center position, as many big men around the league have evolved their games to take on more of a facilitating role. Jokic currently ranks fourth in assists and third in assist percentage. As far as advanced metrics go, Jokic is the most complete and efficient player in the league, ranking first in Win Shares, Box Plus/Minus, and Value Over Replacement Player.
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