The 72nd NBA All-star Game is set for February 19, 2023, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The weekend-long festivities kick off on Friday, February 17, with a focus on the Jordan Rising Stars and the All-Star Celebrity Game. On Saturday, February 18, the NBA x HBCU Classic Presented by AT&T tips off between Southern University and Grambling State University. The Skills Challenge, 3-Point Contest, and Slam Dunk contest will also be airing later that evening.
Closing out the weekend on Sunday, February 18, NBA TV & NBA App will present the NBA Legends Awards to jumpstart the day. The NBA G League Next-Up Game will then air right before the All-Star Draft. Immediately after, at. 8 PM ET, the NBA All-Star Game commences. Check out the full weekend schedule on NBA.com.
So, who are this year’s Allstars, reserves, and coaching staff? Check out our breakdown below.
Last week, the NBA All-Star starters were revealed, and it’s to no surprise who the two captains are. LeBron James was named captain for the West, while Giannis Antetokounmpo will lead the East. Joining Lebron as a starter will be Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Zion Williamson. Starting along with Giannis will be Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Donovan Mitchell.
Today, before the Cavaliers and Grizzlies game on TNT, the NBA All-Star reserves were finally named. A total of 14 reserves, 7 per team, were unveiled by Shaq, Kenny, Chuck, and Ernie one by one. For the most part, the four hosts predicted the reserves correctly, with the exception of a couple of names that came as a surprise.
Eastern Conference
- Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)
- Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)
- DeMar DeRozan (Chicago Bulls)
- Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
- Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers)
- Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks)
- Julius Randle (New York Knicks)
Western Conference
- Paul George (LA Clippers)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies)
- Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)
- Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz)
- Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)
- Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings)
As for the coaches, with the Celtics clinching the best record in the Eastern Conference, their head coach, Joe Mazzulla will coach Team Giannis in the East, along with his coaching staff. Mazzulla becomes just the eighth coach in Celtics history – which is a long, storied one – to be given the honor. Mazzulla joins Brad Stevens (2017), Doc Rivers (2008, 2011), Chris Ford (1991), K.C. Jones (1984-1987), Tom Heinsohn (1972-1974, 1976) and Red Auerbach (1957-1967). This is also only the third time in the last 24 seasons that an All-Star team will be guided by a first-year NBA head coach.
Boston Celtics interim head coach Joe Mazzulla and his staff will coach Team Giannis in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. pic.twitter.com/LHA4cWjzqT
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 31, 2023
Out West, coaching Team Lebron, Denver Nuggets’ head coach, Michael Malone, will take on the honor along with his staff. Malone and his staff were locked into the All-Star coaching duties after Portland defeated Memphis, ensuring that Denver would grab the top spot in the Western Conference. As you may, or may not know, the All-Star coaches are based off which teams have the best record in each conferences two weeks before the All-Star game.
Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone and his staff will coach Team LeBron in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. pic.twitter.com/FFhLXAoxjZ
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 2, 2023
Now, all that’s left is the All-Star Draft, which will take play directly before the All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 19 (7:30 PM ET) on TNT. Team captains, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, will select their players.
How does the All-Star Draft work?
The process starts with the captains, who were determined by the All-Star voting results. The leader for each conference, LeBron James (West) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (East) gets to select his squad and have the team named after him.
Team LeBron will have first pick since James was the overall leading vote-getter in the All-Star balloting process.
The captains take turns drafting from the pool of 22 players voted into the All-Star field — first, they select from the eight All-Star starters, then from the 14 All-Star reserves. Conference affiliation does not matter during the draft process.
