Basketball

NBA All-Star Weekend Preview (2025)

7 months ago

| BY Sam Cox

NBA All-Star weekend has been revamped for 2025. Adam Silver is keen to inject some competitiveness into the festivities, and particularly into the All-Star Game.

Instead of two teams playing 48 minutes of no-defense hoops, Silver has introduced a four-team tournament. Each team has eight players, and each game is won by the first to 40 points. It’s single elimination.

The 24 All Stars are split across Team Chuck, Team Shaq, and Team Kenny, with the TNT trio drafting their rosters live on TV. The third team will be Team Candace – this spot will be filled by the winners of the Rising Stars game.

Chase Center in San Francisco is the venue for this weekend’s All-Star events. It’s the fourth time the Golden State Warriors have hosted All-Star weekend, and the first time since 2000.

Darius Garland to win the Three-Point Contest – 6/1

Darius Garland has the highest three-point percentage (43.8%) of any player in this weekend’s Three-Point Contest. Garland is also shooting 43% or better from the corner and from above-the-break, so there aren’t any glaring weaknesses that could cost him specific racks.

Regular-season numbers don’t always translate to success in the Contest. Garland doesn’t have the scorching-hot shooting streak in him that other contestants do, but he’s still a great bet at 6/1 to win this competition.

If you want a safer bet, you can take Garland to score 24 or more points at 10/11 or 26 or more at 7/4.

Team Kenny to win the All-Star Game – 5/2

Kenny Smith’s young stars don’t have the same star power as Team Chuck or Team Shaq. The youngsters are going to be more determined to prove they belong on this stage, though, with a grand total of nine All-Star appearances between them.

Jayson Tatum (six) has the fewest on Team Shaq. Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, James Harden, and LeBron James have more than Team Kenny combined.

On Team Chuck, Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo are multi-time MVPs, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the clear NBA betting favourite to win the award this season, and Victor Wembanyama is already one of the most well-known players in the league.

With All-Star experience comes cynicism and – generally – a lack of effort. Team Kenny will be excited to be at the midseason showpiece, and with a fiercely competitive young group, they are a great sports betting option to upset their more established foes.

Anthony Edwards to win All-Star MVP – 12/1

Anthony Edwards relishes the big stage. This kind of short-game, single-elimination format is going to fire Edwards up, particularly as he’s the senior player on a massively inexperienced roster.

Team Kenny needs Edwards at his shot-making best if they are to upset the betting markets and win this competition. Could we even see Edwards ramp up to his All-Defense potential? His team are going to need him to deliver on that end.

NBA All-Star Schedule

15th February, 12am – Celebrity Game
15th February, 2:15am – Rising Stars: Team Chris vs Team Tim
15th February, 2:55am – Rising Stars: Team Jeremy vs Team Mitch
15th February, 3:35am – Rising Stars Championship Game
16th February, 1am – Skills Challenge
16th February, follows Skills Challenge – Three-Point Contest
16th February, follows Three-Point Contest – Dunk Contest
17th February, 1:20am – Team Kenny vs Team Chuck
17th February, 2:10am – Team Shaq vs Team Candace
17th February, 3am – NBA All-Star Championship Game

NBA All-Star Rosters

Team Shaq

LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors
Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks (replaces Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks)
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks
James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics

Team Chuck

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks (replaces Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers
Aperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

Team Kenny

Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Tyler Herro, Miami Heat

Rising Stars Rosters

Team Chris

Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Ryan Dunn, Phoenix Suns (replaces Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers)
Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Keyonte George, Utah Jazz
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Golden State Warriors
Dalton Knecht, Charlotte Hornets
Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies

Team Mitch

Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers (replaces Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets)
Bub Carrington, Brooklyn Nets
Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards
Scott Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers
Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons (replaces Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs)

Team Tim

Anthony Black, Orlando Magic (replaces Derek Lively II, Dallas Mavericks)
Tristan da Silva, Orlando Magic
Gradey Dick, Toronto Raptors
Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat
Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors (replaces Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder)