The 2024 NBA All-Star Game will have some all-time legends in the starting lineup when the midseason showcase tips off in Indianapolis on Feb. 18. We now know it will also feature a combination of rising young talent and a few Hall of Fame locks coming off the bench.
The All-Star reserves were announced on Thursday. With only 12 All-Star spots available in each conference, it feels like more great players are getting squeezed out every year. This might be the most competitive All-Star race in league history with so much talent around the league amid an all-time scoring boom.
The NBA All-Star reserves were chosen by the league’s 30 head coaches. Each conference will get two backcourt players, three front court players, and two wild card picks as their All-Star reserves. This year, the game is going back to an East vs. West format. Read our breakdown of the 2024 NBA All-Star starters here. We already knew that Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Tyrese Haliburton were starting for the East, while LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander start for the West.
Here are the complete 2024 NBA All-Star rosters.
East NBA All-Star 2024 reserves
Starters: Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Tyrese Haliburton
Donovan Mitchell, G, Cleveland Cavaliers: Despite injuries to co-stars Evan Mobley and Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell has kept the Cavs near the top of the Eastern Conference with his incredible on-ball scoring ability. Mitchell is one of the best downhill drivers in the game today as a small but mighty force attacking the rim. Mitchell is having a down three-point shooting year by his standards (34 percent), but he shoots with so much volume and confidence that teams can’t let him walk into open looks. Mitchell has also looked more locked in on the defensive end this year, posting a 2.7 percent steal rate and 1.1 percent block rate that are both career-bests, while fighting harder at the point of attack. He’s the type of backcourt star every team covets.
Jalen Brunson, G, New York Knicks: The Knicks haven’t had a star point guard since Walt Frazier in the ‘70s, but Brunson has unquestionably filled that void in his second season with the team. Never the biggest or fastest guard, Brunson wins by being impossibly crafty with the ball in his hands. His scoring has exploded since leaving the Dallas Mavericks for New York in free agency as he’s gotten more comfortable shooting threes with volume. He’s already taken way more threes this year than he ever did in a full season in Dallas, and he’s hitting them at a career-best 42.2 percent clip. He’s been the biggest catalyst for New York’s 31-17 start, and would have been my vote to start this game over Lillard.
Tyrese Maxey, G, Philadelphia 76ers: Maxey has become a breakout star in his fourth season, and he’s ensured the Sixers haven’t missed a step since trading James Harden at the beginning of the season. The 23-year-old guard is one of the league’s fastest players with the ball in his hands, utilizing a deadly floater and improved three-point stroke to become the perfect backcourt complement to Joel Embiid’s powerful scoring. It’s scary to imagine where the Sixers might be without Maxey’s rise, but with it, they’re a legitimate contender in the East as long as Embiid is healthy.
Jaylen Brown, F, Boston Celtics: Brown had a lot to live up to after signing the biggest contract in NBA history over the offseason, but he’s holding up his end of the bargain so far. Brown’s scoring as dipped a bit as Boston has integrated Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in the lineup, but he’s shooting the ball better from three (35.2 percent), he’s cut down his turnovers, and he continues to play a key role on an elite defense. People can argue all day about who is really the Celtics’ second-best player, but there’s no doubt Brown’s mix of powerful straight-line slashing, capable shooting, and one-on-one defense is a big reason why the team is so successful.
Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat: Adebayo showed off his incredible versatility for a center as the Heat made a Cinderella run to the NBA Finals as a No. 8 seed last season, and he’s been excellent again this year. The 26-year-old is an elite defender with immense switchability, a dependable rebounder, a key playmaking hub for the Miami offense, and still averages more than 20 points per game. The Heat are typically such a huge pain in the ass to play in large part because of Bam’s unique skill set.
Paolo Banchero, F, Orlando Magic: Banchero was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2022, and now he’s an All-Star one year later. The 20-year-old forward has dragged the Magic into the playoff race with his polished one-on-one scoring, his developing passing, and an improved three-point shot. There is still a ton of low-hanging fruit in Banchero’s shot profile that will only get better over time. That he’s already an All-Star-caliber player despite being a bit inefficient in the early stages of his career shows how gifted he is.
Julius Randle, F, New York Knicks: The Knicks and Randle have worked miracles on each other since originally agreeing to a bargain free agent contract back in 2019. Randle already has two All-NBA selections to his name in New York, and now adds another All-Star berth. There’s nothing pretty about the bruising forward’s game, but he’s overcome a slow start to again show why he’s one of the most productive front court players in the conference. Randle’s bully-ball drives will always be his bread-and-butter, but he’s also a gifted passer and a reliable rebounder. He’s out with a shoulder injury right now, but his season deserves recognition.
West NBA All-Star 2024 reserves
Starters: LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Stephen Curry, G, Golden State Warriors: The voters got it right by selecting Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as starters in the West over Curry, but the Warriors icon is still having an awesome individual season. Steph is still leading the league in three-point takes and makes by hitting 41 percent of 11.6 attempted triples per game. It’s too bad the Warriors are such a disaster, because it feels like Curry is still good enough to be the top option on a championship team, even on the brink of his 36th birthday.
Anthony Edwards, G, Minnesota Timberwolves: Edwards is a human highlight machine waiting to happen. He’s also proven he can play winning basketball in his fourth season. The 22-year-old has helped carry the Timberwolves to the top of the Western Conference with his dynamic slashing, his improved three-point shooting, and his big play defensive ability. He’s having the most efficient scoring season of his career thus far while also registering his highest assist percentage yet. When the game is on the line, the Wolves’ offense is running through Edwards. He’ll only level up more as he continues to tweak his shot selection and cut down on turnovers.
Kawhi Leonard, F, Los Angeles Clippers: Leonard has only been a part-time player because of injuries since joining the Clippers in the summer of 2019, but he’s finally stayed available this year to turn in one of the best regular seasons of his career. The 32-year-old feels unguardable when he’s at his peak: He’s automatic from mid-range, he’s making 44 percent of his threes, and he can still overpower smaller defenders in the paint. Leonard will also occasionally remind you he’s one of the best wing defenders ever when he decides to put the clamps on in crunch-time. The Clippers are a very real title threat as long as Kawhi stays healthy.
Anthony Davis, C, Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James is starting the All-Star Game for the West, but most Lakers fans agree Davis has actually been the team’s best player this season. On the brink of his 31st birthday, Davis remains a defensive supernova who can put a lid on the rim and erase the defensive mistakes of his teammates thanks to his long arms, elite closing speed, and pristine hand-eye coordination. He’s continued to cut out some long twos this season in favor of more attempts at the rim, and it’s put him within shouting distance of the most efficient scoring season of his career. If AD is healthy enough to play, the Lakers can consistently count on him to produce at an All-Star level on both ends of the floor.
Devin Booker, G, Phoenix Suns: Booker slid to point guard this season after Phoenix traded Chris Paul this summer, and he’s been brilliant in the role. The 27-year-old has is averaging career-highs in scoring (28.3 points per game), assists (7.3 assists per game), and three-point percentage (38.8 percent) so far this year while keeping his turnovers down. He’s a relentless scorer in the halfcourt, and a true three-level scoring threat. Booker takes about 53 percent of his shots from midrange, per Cleaning the Glass, and knocks them down at nearly a 50 percent clip. His speed, aggression, and shooting touch make him an impossibly tough cover, and he seems to have a counter for whatever the defense throws at him.
Paul George, F, Los Angeles Clippers: Adding a true point guard in James Harden has helped unlock George for what might be his strongest season since he was a serious MVP candidate with the Thunder in 2019. George can get buckets any way you want, with knockdown three-point shooting (41 percent from deep), athletic forays to the rim, and a trusty midrange pull-up game. He’s currently having the most efficient scoring season of his career with 61 percent true shooting.
Karl-Anthony Towns, F, Minnesota Timberwolves: KAT has finally found his perfect role playing next to a go-to scoring guard in Anthony Edwards and a defensive mastermind in Rudy Gobert. The 28-year-old 7-footer can be a floor spacing one minute, and a takeover scorer the next. KAT is putting together perhaps the greatest shooting season ever for a big man thus far, hitting 44.3 percent of his triples on five attempts per game. With the Wolves soaring to the top of the West standings, Towns got the nod over teammate Rudy Gobert. I’m not sure I agree with that one, but there’s no doubt KAT is an offensive star.
