The NBA All-Star Draft took place last night, and now it’s official which team Nikola Jokic will play for.
This year, the All-Star Game format will undergo a major change. For the first time in history, there will be four teams of eight players each, competing in a mini-tournament. Three teams consist of the league’s top All-Stars, selected by Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley, and Shaquille O’Neal.
- Dallas Mavericks outplayed Boston Celtics in NBA Finals rematch
- Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. led Denver Nuggets to blowout win over Orlando Magic
The fourth team to participate in the tournament will be the so-called Team Candace, and it will be the team that wins the tournament held on the first All-Star night, featuring top G League players as well as those currently in their first and second NBA seasons.
Shaquille O’Neal had the first pick, and he chose LeBron James, while Kenny Smith selected Anthony Edwards, and Charles Barkley opted for Nikola Jokic.
Team Charles Barkley: Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs), Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers), Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets), Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks), Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Team Shaquille O’Neal: LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), 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 Kenny Smith: 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)
The tournament will follow a semifinal and final format. Three games will be played, and the winner will be the team that reaches 40 points first.
THE NBA ALL-STAR TEAMS ARE SET 🤩
— ESPN (@espn) February 7, 2025
Who's winning? 🤔 #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/5cRggKg08C
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