NBA All-Star 2025: Predicting Eastern, Western Conference Reserves

The reserves for both the Eastern and Western Conference 2025 NBA All-Stars will be announced on Thursday, January 30 during TNT's NBA Tip-Off, with the exhibition itself taking place on Sunday, February 16 at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California.

We now know the ten names who will be starting after they were revealed following a combination of fan voting (50 percent), media voting (25 percent), and player voting (25 percent) on January 23:

2025 NBA Eastern Conference All-Star Starters

2025 NBA Western Conference All-Star Starters

With two guard spots, three forwards, and a pair of wild cards on each bench which will all be selected by the Association's 30 head coaches, here are the 14 players who should be filling out each side in one of the most difficult fields in recent memory to narrow down. 

Predicting 2025 NBA Eastern Conference All-Star Reserves

*all statistics accurate as of Monday, January 27

G: Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)

35.6 MPG, 24.9 PPG, 45.5 FG%, 36.9 3P%, 6.5 REB, 9.4 AST

The Detroit Pistons have already blown away their win total from last year, and Cade Cunningham is at the forefront of their resurgence. He's currently the heavy betting favorite to be crowned the 2025 NBA Most Improved Player, and while he's shown glimpses of brilliance in years past, Cunningham is finally living up to his billing as a first overall draft pick atop one of the deepest classes in recent memory. 

G: Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)

36.1 MPG, 22.8 PPG, 40.1 FG%, 34.5% 3P%, 3.5 REB, 11.5 AST

Trae Young has totalled 482 assists across his 42 appearances, which is 89 more dimes than the second-ranked Nikola Jokic's 393. He has also 229 more potential assists than all other players in the league, as well, and he's doing this on an Atlanta Hawks team hovering around the .500 mark and vying for a berth in the play-in tournament. That doesn't sound all to great in the big picture, but lest we forget that Atlanta was left for dead after moving Dejounte Murray over the summer. 

F: Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers)

30.2 MPG, 18.3 PPG, 57 FG%, 41.3 3P%, 8.8 REB, 2.2 AST, 1.4 BLK

Arguably the best interior defender not named Victor Wembanyama going today, Evan Mobley has developed into an elite two-way player with an added 3-point shot to his repertoire which makes the near 7-footer even more of a pain to deal with. His defensive acumen was never in question, but becoming a more diverse offensive weapon has aided in the Cleveland Cavaliers jumping from 16th in offense last season to now first overall by two more points per 100 possessions than the field. 

F: Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers)

33.2 MPG, 20.2 PPG, 52.6 FG%, 41.3 3P%, 7.4 REB, 3.4 AST

With teammate Tyrese Haliburton showing signs of regression coming off the strongest year of his young career, it's been Pascal Siakam serving as the catalyst behind the Indiana Pacers' recent success with the second-best win-loss record since Dec. 13 at 15-5. Siakam has led the charge in points and rebounds during this stretch, with his usage rate of 23.9 far surpassing that of his fellow starters. This spot would likely go to a member of the Orlando Magic had it not been for injuries to both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, but that doesn't mean Siakam isn't still deserving. 

F: Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)

35.4 MPG, 23 PPG, 45.2 FG%, 32 3P%, 6.0 REB, 4.8 AST, 1.3 STL

The second-best player on the second-best team in the East should be here, especially one who was just named the Finals Most Valuable Player for a record-setting 18th Larry O'Brien trophy for the Boston Celtics. Jaylen Brown's numbers jump to 25.7-8-6.3 when Tatum is unavailable, and even with an All-Defensive Team backcourt in Derrick White and Jrue Holiday by his side, the 28-year-old wing is usually tasked with guarding the toughest matchup on the opposing side more often that not. 

WC: Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers)

30.3 MPG, 21.7 PPG, 50.1 FG%, 43.1 3P%, 2.5 REB, 6.8 AST

There's a credible argument to be made for the Cavaliers having four All-Stars, but if that had to be narrowed down to three by needing to pick between Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, Garland would win that debate quite easily. His stock took quite a hit during the playoffs with his shot not cooperating, but he clearly took that to heart over the summer with his current efficiency from the field and behind the arc both being career highs. He's also one of the top clutch players having knocked down 60.9 percent of his attempts during the final five minutes of games with the score separated by five or less points, which is the greatest efficiency of any player ranked in the top 10 of clutch scoring.

WC: Damian Lillard (Milwaukee Bucks)

36.2 MPG, 25.2 PPG, 44.7 FG%, 38.3 3P%, 4.7 REB, 7.3 AST, 1.3 STL

A 2-8 start for the Milwaukee Bucks is a thing of the past with the team vying for home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. This goes well beyond just Antetokounmpo carrying the roster on his shoulders, as the one-two punch with Damian Lillard has had a full year to bond and has displayed exponential growth in year two. Lillard's defense continues to be a detriment whenever he sees the floor, mind you, but such a red flag can often be compensated for with the firepower he provides, having scored 25 or more points in nearly two-thirds of the games he's played. 

Snubs: Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic; Tyler Herro, Miami Heat; LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets; Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers; Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers, Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic; Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls

Predicting 2025 NBA Western Conference All-Star Reserves

G: Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)

36.7 MPG, 26.3 PPG, 44.5 FG%, 42.5 3P%, 5.7 REB, 4.1 AST, 1.1 STL

The love affair Anthony Edwards has with his still highly-reliable outside shot can often frustrate supporters of the Minnesota Timberwolves, but chalk that up to necessity due to a lack of floor spacers surrounding him after losing Karl-Anthony Towns via trade. Following a year in which many pegged Edwards to be the next face of the league and Michael Jordan-esque with his style of play, the early returns haven't blown anyone away as the team as a whole takes a step back. Even so, Edwards remains one of those physically-gifted, exciting talents in all of basketball, and the All-Star Game just wouldn't be as fun without him. 

G: Norman Powell (Los Angeles Clippers)

32.9 MPG, 23.9 PPG, 49 FG%, 43.1 3P%, 3.5 REB, 2.2 AST, 1.1 STL

If not now, then when? This Norman Powell pick feels eerily similar to one that wasn't made over a decade ago, which conveniently enough also involved the Los Angeles Clippers when veteran Jamal Crawford was snubbed from the 2013 squad in what was the 13th year of his career. The Clippers' ability to overcome losing Paul George in free agency and not having Kawhi Leonard up until recently is a testament to the growth Powell has displayed offensively entering the starting lineup and carrying the load for a winning team. 

F: Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)

33.2 MPG, 24.5 PPG, 47.6 FG%, 35.3 3P%, 10.8 REB, 3.7 AST, 1.1 STL, 3.9 BLK

Simply put, Victor Wembanyama should be starting. To be fair, though, he's got well over a decade of All-Star starts in the tank based on the trajectory he's on, and the likes of James, Durant, and Curry won't be around forever. The 7-foot-4 unicorn is a marketing dream, and having him under the bright lights of All-Star Weekend could serve the greater good for an otherwise dying event. The best defender on the planet actually playing defense for this glorified exhibition would also be a breath of fresh air. 

F: Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)

34.8 MPG, 25.9 PPG, 52.4 FG%, 30.4 3P%, 11.9 REB, 3.9 AST, 1.3 STL, 2.2 BLK

It's easy to overlook Anthony Davis' contributions on the Los Angeles Lakers when we're all still living in the LeBron era, yet the necessary changes were at least made to make him more of a focal point and the default No. 1 option as James takes a slight step back at 40 years of age. Davis' 3.53 stocks per game (steals and blocks) rank third amongst all players, and after suiting up for 76 of a possible 82 games last season, he's sat only three times in 2024-25 and never consecutively, so perhaps it's time to finally erase the "injury-prone" label and move forward.

F: Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies)

29.4 MPG, 22.9 PPG, 49.8 FG%, 34.8 3P%, 6.3 REB, 2.2 AST, 1.4 STL, 1.6 BLK

Everyone and their parents expected the Memphis Grizzlies to return to being a contender after the injury bug decimated their core group last season. Perhaps the rise back to prominence came quicker than even the most optimistic of projections, but as the third seed in the gun fight at the O.K. corral which is the West, Memphis absolutely deserves to send at least one All-Star. That honor should fall upon Jaren Jackson Jr., who is all but guaranteed yet another spot on an All-Defensive Team. He's the leading scorer on the Grizzlies while having a lower usage rate than Ja Morant, and his estimated plus-minus of +5.0 is fourth overall amongst players with at least 35 games.

WC: Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder)

32.8 MPG, 21.0 PPG, 47.5 FG%, 34.7 3P%, 5.5 REB, 5.2 AST, 1.8 STL

This isn't a matter of needing to include two members of the Oklahoma City Thunder since they're the most dominant team in the West, as Jalen Williams' contributions more than warrant strong consideration standing on its own two feet. He's the ideal running-mate next to Most Valuable Player betting favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as Williams can do a little bit of everything and do it all in exceptional fashion. The 23-year-old wing is one of 17 players averaging at least 21-5-5, all of which are career-best numbers. 

WC: Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets)

31.3 MPG, 19.3 PPG, 49.1 FG%, 23.4 3P%, 10.4 REB, 5.0 AST, 1.3 STL

The Jokic comparisons are just and fair, even though Alperen Sengun is still a tier or two below the three-time league MVP. Like the Denver Nuggets powerhourse, Sengun can also be a jack of all trades with his output and fill up the stat sheet like very few can, and it's not just empty numbers either. The Houston Rockets are on the verge of breaking their four-year postseason draught, and while there's been contributions from a multitude of places, perhaps none have mattered more to Houston skyrocketing up the standings than Sengun's. 

Snubs: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks; DeAaron Fox, Sacramento Kings; Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings; Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks; Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns; James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers