By NBA insiders | ESPN, 2025-02-13 20:00:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
在疯狂的交易截止日之后，NBA将重心转移到今年的全明星周末。金州勇士队的斯蒂芬·库里(Stephen Curry)，正忙于与新队友吉米·巴特勒建立默契，现在他将注意力转向在旧金山的全明星周末活动中担任东道主。库里将与洛杉矶湖人队的勒布朗·詹姆斯和菲尼克斯太阳队的凯文·杜兰特一起加入沙克队。这三人曾在八月份的奥运会上大放异彩，带领美国队战胜法国队夺得金牌。
然而，维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)有机会在周日复仇，因为他将带领他的国际球星队友，包括MVP领跑者尼古拉·约基奇和谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大，加入查克队。
文班亚马还将在周六晚上与圣安东尼奥马刺队的队友和12次入选全明星的克里斯·保罗一起参加技巧挑战赛。周六还将上演两项冲击三连冠的赛事，密尔沃基雄鹿队的达米安·利拉德将力争赢得他的第三个三分球大赛冠军，而麦克·麦克朗将冲击他的第三个扣篮大赛冠军。
以下是关于这场星光熠熠的盛会你需要知道的一切，包括我们专家认为的最终赢家。
专家选择由包括克里斯·赫林、马克·斯皮尔斯、迈克尔·C·莱特(Michael C. Wright)、拉莫娜·谢尔本、凯文·佩尔顿、戴夫·麦克梅纳明、巴克斯特·霍尔姆斯、奥姆·扬米苏克、蒂姆·麦克马洪、杰里米·吴和博比·马克斯在内的NBA内部人士组成的评审团投票选出。
新秀挑战赛 | 技巧挑战赛 | 三分球大赛 | 扣篮大赛 | 全明星锦标赛
伊迪、卡斯尔、克内克特！新秀挑战赛即将开打
周五，美国东部时间晚上9点（TNT）
联盟的新秀们今年在新秀挑战赛中将有更多的目标。由于采用了新的全明星周末赛制，四支新秀球队中最强的一支将获得参加周日四队锦标赛的资格，与今年的全明星球员并肩作战。
金州勇士队的“Run TMC”名人堂三人组将在湾区重聚，蒂姆·哈达威执教T队，米奇·里奇蒙德执教M队，克里斯·穆林执教C队，而林书豪将执教G联赛队。
比赛将于美国东部时间晚上9:15开始，C队对阵T队，晚上9:55继续进行，G联赛队对阵M队。
这些球队中哪支球队将赢得周日锦标赛的席位，并给全明星球员带来真正的挑战？
第一场： C队 vs. T队
第二场： G联赛队 vs. M队
第三场： 第一场胜者 vs. 第二场胜者
第三场比赛的胜者将参加周日的全明星迷你锦标赛
2025年#Castrol新秀挑战赛 阵容！
2月14日周五，美国东部时间晚上9:00在TNT频道播出 https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1886927114605130066/photo/1
— NBA (@ NBA) 2025年2月4日
这个项目总是很难在纸面上预测，但我个人很高兴看到以好胜心著称的双胞胎奥萨尔·汤普森和阿门·汤普森在M队再次成为队友。T队看起来也很强大，由杰米·哈克斯(Jaime Jaquez Jr.)和布兰丁·波杰姆斯基等几位优秀的二年级生领衔。虽然C队在纸面上不如其他两队那么强大，但扎克·伊迪有可能统治全场。我很想看看里德·谢泼德，他一直在休斯顿火箭队等待机会，作为G联赛队的秘密武器。 – 杰里米·吴
专家选择： M队
名人来袭！
周五，美国东部时间晚上7点（ESPN）
职业橄榄球名人堂成员泰瑞尔·欧文斯重返赛场，但这次是在篮球场上，如果这位前旧金山49人队的接球手表现出色，也不会令人感到惊讶。51岁的欧文斯上次参加全明星名人赛是在2010年，但最出名的是他在2009年从哈林篮球队员那里获得的背板空接扣篮。这一次他将年长几岁，并且将与一些年轻的竞争对手对抗，比如主播凯·塞纳特。塞纳特在2024年发布了一个模仿篮球混音带的视频来宣传他的亮相，但在教练香农·夏普的带领下，他在实际比赛中出场时间很少。这一次，在棒球传奇人物巴里·邦兹和说唱歌手2 Chainz的执教下，他将寻求反弹。然而，挡在他面前的是喜剧演员德鲁斯基，他将自己与这位互联网明星的对决宣传为“凯 vs. 德鲁斯基”。这是一场值得关注的单挑对决。 – 安东尼·加里布
双人组合、高难度扣篮，以及利拉德的三连冠？
周六，美国东部时间晚上8点（TNT）
夜晚以技巧挑战赛拉开序幕，其中有一些强大的二人组。德雷蒙德·格林和摩西·穆迪将代表主队参加比赛。与勇士队一样，炙手可热的克利夫兰骑士队也将由多诺万·米切尔和埃文·莫布里这两位老将和新秀代表。维克多·文班亚马将在全明星周末首次亮相，与有史以来技术最精湛的控球后卫之一克里斯·保罗搭档。这将对新秀队扎卡里·里萨谢和亚历克斯·萨尔来说是一场艰难的比赛。
奥克兰本地人达米安·利拉德将参加今年的三分球大赛。如果获胜，利拉德将追平该赛事的连续三次获胜的纪录。说到三连冠，两届卫冕冠军麦克·麦克朗希望在夜晚结束时实现自己的三连冠。
哪个充满活力的二人组将主宰技巧挑战赛，他们又会带来什么？
骑士队 (多诺万·米切尔和埃文·莫布里)
米切尔和莫布里能组成搭档是很合适的。克利夫兰骑士队的新教练肯尼·阿特金森改变了之前几个赛季的轮换方式，总是将莫布里与米切尔搭配在一起，而之前的教练J.B.比克斯塔夫则将米切尔与贾莱特·阿伦搭档。这样做的目的是试图加速莫布里的进化。它奏效了，这就是为什么莫布里在本赛季的表现足以让他留在周日的比赛中。 – 蒂姆·麦克马洪
新秀队 (亚历克斯·萨尔和扎卡里·里萨谢)
2024年NBA选秀的前两名球员正在合作。这两位法国人进入联盟时并没有像之前的前几位新秀那样受到热捧，但两人在本赛季都有过成功的表现。里萨谢在不同的比赛中都得到过30分，是2024-25赛季仅有的两名做到这一点的菜鸟球员之一（另一位是贾里德·麦凯恩），而萨尔以场均1.6个盖帽领跑所有新秀。在技巧挑战赛和周五的新秀挑战赛中的出色表现可能有助于将这些新秀介绍给更多的全国观众。 – 贾马尔·科利尔
马刺队 (克里斯·保罗和维克多·文班亚马)
到目前为止，他们整个赛季都在努力提高彼此的化学反应，但技巧挑战赛与弄清楚如何在挡拆战术中攻击对手提出了不同的挑战。最重要的是，保罗和文班亚马不仅是技术娴熟的控球手，而且还是天赋异禀的传球手。严格从技术角度来看，保罗和文班亚马应该很有希望轻松赢得这场比赛。 – 迈克尔·莱特
勇士队 (德雷蒙德·格林和摩西·穆迪)
格林最近才从小腿伤势中恢复过来，这让他缺席了连续七场比赛。而在那次缺席前的一场比赛中，他因病和背部问题缺席了三场比赛。格林已经连续打了六场比赛，他的多才多艺应该会在技巧挑战赛中很有趣。自从乔纳森·库明加在1月4日脚踝扭伤后，穆迪的出场时间有所增加。在连续13场比赛中，穆迪在其中11场比赛中得分上双。在同一时期，穆迪在七场比赛中投进三个或更多的三分球。 – 奥姆·扬米苏克
专家选择： 马刺队
利拉德时间！湾区本地人要实现三连冠需要做些什么？
达米安·利拉德在奥克兰的湾区长大，他深情地回忆起小时候参加2000年的全明星周末，并称回到湾区参加这次比赛是一个完整的循环。但他对这项赛事和卫冕三分球冠军的压力也并不陌生。其他参赛者可能希望利拉德会被周末的家乡美食分散注意力，但贾伦·布伦森（三分命中率39.7%）和泰勒·希罗（38.8%）等球员将是难缠的对手。 – 科利尔
专家选择： 利拉德
飞跃汽车还是沙克？对今年最具弹跳力的比赛的大胆预测？
我不确定圣安东尼奥马刺队的新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)是否拥有赢得扣篮大赛所需的深厚的创造性技巧，但他毫无疑问拥有惊人的弹跳力。我见过经验丰富的球探对卡斯尔在比赛中的一些雷霆万钧般的双手扣篮感到震惊，有理由相信他可以在今年的比赛中带来令人惊讶的影响。 – 麦克马洪
迈克尔·乔丹、多米尼克·威尔金斯、哈罗德·“小乔丹”·米纳、杰森·理查德森、内特·罗宾逊和扎克·拉文。这些都是至少两次赢得扣篮大赛的传奇扣将的名字。麦克·麦克朗将尝试做他们中没有人做过的事情：三连冠。只有罗宾逊三次赢得冠军——但从未连续三次。麦克朗准备在周六晚上创造历史。 – 扬米苏克
在马刺队开始他们一年一度的牛仔竞技巡回赛之前，人们看到卡斯尔在该队的胜利资本训练中心为比赛做了大量的准备工作。当文班亚马谈到想看到卡斯尔在扣篮大赛中“疯狂”时，请密切关注。想象一下这样一种情况，卡斯尔试图飞跃身高7英尺4英寸的文班亚马，而保罗坐在这位法国天才的肩膀上。这可能会发生。 – 莱特
我认为我们今年会看到一两个非常有创意的扣篮，值得一看。密尔沃基的安德烈·杰克逊(Andre Jackson Jr.)上赛季在一次补扣尝试中将整个头部都放在了篮筐之上，那一幕仍然铭刻在我的记忆中。另外，请关注芝加哥的新秀马塔斯·布泽利斯，他在拉文于本月早些时候被交易之前一直与拉文一起研究想法。 – 科利尔
麦克朗的时代已经结束了。在看到他连续两年赢得比赛后，他已经没有什么可以做的新动作了。我将选择卡斯尔。我听说了一些他为这场比赛进行的幕后练习的传闻，我确信他会做一些与文班亚马有关的事情。扣篮大赛中出现了一位新警长，他来自圣安东尼奥。 – 马克·斯皮尔斯
专家选择： 麦克朗
老牌球星 vs. 后起之秀？国际球员 vs. 本土球员？全明星赛的看点
周日，美国东部时间晚上8点（TNT）
全明星周末引入了另一种赛制变化，四支由八名球员组成的队伍将在迷你锦标赛中正面交锋。
查克的世界球星队、沙克的老炮队、肯尼的青年球星队和坎迪斯的明日之星队将争夺180万美元的奖金池，但同时争夺的还有全明星MVP，达米安·利拉德去年获得了这一荣誉。
肯尼的青年球星队将与查克的世界球星队进行第一场比赛，随后是沙克的老炮队对阵坎迪斯的明日之星队。先得到40分的球队将晋级冠军赛。
第一场： 肯尼的青年球星队 vs. 查克的世界球星队
第二场： 沙克的老炮队 vs. 坎迪斯的明日之星队
第三场： 第一场胜者 vs. 第二场胜者
一群来自世界各地的球星。以风暴般的速度席卷联盟的新一代。有史以来最伟大的球员和老炮们正在努力。
推出我们#NBAAllStar 球队的新队名！观看他们在2月16日星期日晚上8:00（美国东部时间）在湾区战斗！ https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1889469563546251419/photo/1
— NBA (@ NBA) 2025年2月12日
肯尼的青年球星队
青年球星队的阵容中有很多渴望证明自己的球员，我将始终关注安东尼·爱德华兹。在去年的全明星周末，他发誓要用左手投篮，在技巧挑战赛中这样做引起了一些关注。这一次，沙克队由老一代球员组成，他将有更多的事情要证明。他最有可能激发自己的竞争精神，并试图展现自己来赢得MVP。 – 科利尔
沙克的老炮队
勒布朗·詹姆斯、斯蒂芬·库里和凯文·杜兰特能否保持良好的状态？这三位未来的名人堂成员在带领美国队在2024年巴黎奥运会上夺得金牌的过程中，有着非凡的合作。这三位球员都获得了一系列的荣誉，他们共同获得的七个MVP奖项应该代表一些东西。哦，还有卫冕总决赛冠军杰森·塔图姆也在这个队里。史蒂夫·科尔没有执教，所以塔图姆不必担心自己是否在轮换阵容中。 – 麦克马洪
查克的世界球星队
自2018年（詹姆斯·哈登）以来，我们没有看到美国球员赢得常规赛MVP是有原因的。多年来，国际球员已经确立了他们在篮球领域的主导地位。当像文班亚马这样的国际球星说他“对在NBA全明星赛上交朋友没有任何兴趣”时，你可以期待一支由三届MVP（尼古拉·约基奇）和今年的MVP热门人选之一（谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大）率领的球队采取严肃的态度。 – 莱特
坎迪斯的明日之星队
一位2024年NBA全明星告诉我，全明星球员参加今年的新秀队比赛只会输得更多，赢得的更少，并补充说，如果年轻球员赢得周末的比赛，那将是非常尴尬的事情。我担心这最终可能会成为现实，全明星球员似乎越来越不关心比赛了。所以我们才会变成现在这样。 – 斯皮尔斯
专家选择： 沙克的老炮队
点击查看原文：NBA All-Star 2025: What to watch during the superstar-packed weekend
NBA All-Star 2025: What to watch during the superstar-packed weekend
With a wild trade deadline in the books, the NBA shifts its focus to this year’s All-Star Weekend. Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, who has been busy building chemistry with new teammate Jimmy Butler, turns his attention to playing host at the weekend’s festivities in San Francisco. Curry will play alongside Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant on Team Shaq. The trio shined on the Olympic stage in August as they led Team USA to a gold medal over Team France.
Victor Wembanyama has a chance to get his revenge Sunday, however, as he leads his fellow international stars, including MVP front-runners Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, on Team Chuck.
Wembanyama will also take the court Saturday night, alongside San Antonio Spurs teammate and 12-time All-Star Chris Paul in the skills challenge. Saturday will also feature a pair of attempted three-peats as Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard tries to win his third straight 3-point competition while Mac McClung goes for his third dunk contest crown.
Here’s everything to know about the star-studded events, including who our experts think will come out on top.
Expert picks were voted on by a panel of NBA insiders including Chris Herring, Marc Spears, Michael C. Wright, Ramona Shelburne, Kevin Pelton, Dave McMenamin, Baxter Holmes, Ohm Youngmisuk, Tim MacMahon, Jeremy Woo and Bobby Marks.
**Rising Stars | Skills challenge | 3-point contest\
Slam dunk contest | All-Star tournament**
Edey, Castle, Knecht! The Rising Stars are here to play
Friday, 9 p.m. ET (TNT)
The league’s Rising Stars have a little something extra to play for this year. With the new All-Star Weekend format, the best of the four rising stars teams will earn a spot in Sunday’s four-team tournament alongside this year’s All-Stars.
The Golden State Warriors’ Hall of Fame trio Run TMC will reunite in the Bay with Team T being coached by Tim Hardaway, Team M coached by Mitch Richmond and Team C coached by Chris Mullin, while Jeremy Lin will coach Team G League.
The action starts at 9:15 p.m. ET with Team C vs. Team T and continues at 9:55 with Team G League vs. Team M.
Which of these teams will earn a spot in Sunday’s tourney and give the All-Stars a run for their money?
Game 1: Team C vs. Team T\
Game 2: Team G League vs. Team M\
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
The winner of Game 3 will play in the All-Star mini-tournament Sunday
— NBA (@ NBA) February 4, 2025
This one is always tricky to peg on paper, but I’m personally excited to see the notoriously competitive twins Ausar Thompson and Amen Thompson reunite as teammates in this setting on Team M. Team T also looks strong, led by several quality sophomores such as Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Brandin Podziemski. While Team C isn’t as loaded on paper as the other two, it’s possible Zach Edey just takes over for the squad. And I’m curious to see Reed Sheppard, who has been waiting his turn for the Houston Rockets as an ostensible ringer for Team G League. – Jeremy Woo
Expert pick: Team M
Celebrity takeover!
Friday, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens returns to the game, but this time on the basketball court, and it won’t be surprising if the former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver shows out. Owens, 51, last appeared in the All-Star celebrity game in 2010 but is best known for his off-the-backboard alley-oop dunk in 2009 from a Harlem Globetrotter. This time he’ll be a few years older and going up against some young competition such as streamer Kai Cenat. Cenat advertised his appearance in 2024 with a mock basketball mixtape, but played sparingly in the actual game under coach Shannon Sharpe. This time around, coached by baseball legend Barry Bonds and rapper 2 Chainz, he’ll look to bounce back. However, in his way is comedian Druski, who has advertised his matchup against the internet star as “Kai vs. Druski”. It’s a one-on-one matchup worth watching. – Anthony Gharib
Tandem team-ups, high-flying dunks and a Dame three-peat?
Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
The night kicks off with the skills competition, which features some formidable duos. Draymond Green and Moses Moody will represent the home team in the competition. Like the Warriors, the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers will be represented by a veteran and newcomer in Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. Victor Wembanyama makes his All-Star Weekend debut alongside one of the most skilled point guards of all time in Chris Paul. It’ll prove tough competition for Team Rooks, Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr.
Oakland’s own Damian Lillard will compete in this year’s 3-point competition. A win would give Lillard a record-tying three straight wins in the event. And speaking of three-peats, two-time defending champ Mac McClung is looking for one of his own to close the night out.
Which dynamic duo will dominate the skills competition, and what do they bring to the table together?
Team Cavs (Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley)
It’s fitting that Mitchell and Mobley are a tandem. New Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson altered the rotation from previous seasons to always pair Mobley with Mitchell, who had been attached to Jarrett Allen under previous coach J.B. Bickerstaff. The idea was to attempt to accelerate Mobley’s evolution. It has worked, which is why Mobley has proved enough this season to stick around for the Sunday showcase. – Tim MacMahon
Team Rooks (Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher)
The top two picks from the 2024 NBA draft are teaming up. The two Frenchmen have not come into the league as heralded as previous top selections, but both have had flashes of success this season. Risacher has scored 30 points in separate games, one of only two rookies (along with Jared McCain) to do so in 2024-25, while Sarr leads all rookies in blocks (1.6 per game). A strong showing in the skills competition and during Friday’s Rising Stars challenge could help introduce these rookies to a more national audience. – Jamal Collier
Team Spurs (Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama)
They’ve spent all season up to this point working to improve their chemistry, but the skills competition presents a different challenge from figuring out how to attack opponents in screen-and-roll scenarios. The upshot is that both Paul and Wembanyama are not just skilled ball handlers but also gifted passers. Strictly from the standpoint of skill sets, Paul and Wembanyama should be favored to win this thing handily. – Michael Wright
Team Warriors (Draymond Green and Moses Moody)
Green just recently returned from a calf injury that cost him seven straight games. And one game prior to that absence, he had missed three games due to illness and a back issue. Green has been back for six straight games and should be fun to watch in the skills competition with his versatility. Moody has seen an uptick in minutes since Jonathan Kuminga went down with a sprained ankle Jan. 4. During a 13-game stretch, Moody scored in double figures in 11 of them. In that same span, Moody hit three or more 3-pointers in seven games. – Ohm Youngmisuk
Expert pick: Team Spurs
Dame time! What will it take for the Bay Area native to three-peat from 3?
Growing up across the Bay Bridge in Oakland, Damian Lillard fondly recalled attending All-Star weekend in 2000 as a kid and called it a full-circle moment to be back in the Bay Area for this one. But he’s also no stranger to this event and the pressure that comes with defending his 3-point crown. The rest of the field might want to hope Lillard is distracted by a weekend of home cooking, but players such as Jalen Brunson (39.7% from 3) and Tyler Herro (38.8%) are going to be tough competition. – Collier
Expert pick: Lillard
Jumping over cars or Shaq? Bold predictions for this year’s bounciest competition?
I’m not sure whether San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle has the deep bag of creative tricks required to win the dunk contest, but he has the hops – no doubt about that. I’ve seen seasoned scouts gasp at some of Castle’s thunderous two-handed dunks in traffic given reason to believe that he can emerge to make a surprise impact on this year’s event. – MacMahon
Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Harold “Baby Jordan” Miner, Jason Richardson, Nate Robinson and Zach LaVine. Those are the names of all the legendary dunkers who have won the dunk contest at least twice. And Mac McClung will try to do something none of them have done: three-peat. Only Robinson has won the title three times – but never three in a row. McClung is ready to make history Saturday night. – Youngmisuk
Before the Spurs hit the road for their annual rodeo road trip, Castle was seen at the team’s Victory Capital Performance Center putting in plenty of work in preparation for the event. When Wembanyama talks about wanting to see Castle “go crazy” at the dunk contest, pay close attention. Just imagine a scenario in which Castle attempts to sky over the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama with Paul sitting on the French phenom’s shoulders. It could happen. – Wright
I think we’ll get one or two very creative dunks this year that will be worth checking out. Milwaukee’s Andre Jackson Jr. had his entire head above the rim on a putback dunk attempt last season and that moment is still etched into my memory. Also, watch for Chicago rookie Matas Buzelis, who was working with LaVine on ideas before LaVine was traded earlier this month. – Collier
The days of McClung are over. After seeing him win it two straight years, there’s nothing new he can do. I am going to go with Castle. I heard rumblings of his behind-the-scenes practice for this competition and I am sure he will do something to include Wembanyama. There is a new sheriff in the dunk contest, and he’s from San Antonio. – Marc Spears
Expert pick: McClung
OGs vs. up-and-coming? International vs. homegrown? What to watch in the All-Star game
Sunday, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
Another format change has been introduced to All-Star Weekend, with four teams of eight players going head-to-head in a mini-tournament.
Chuck’s Global Stars, Shaq’s OGs, Kenny’s Young Stars and Candace’s Rising Stars will compete for a prize pool of $1.8 million, but also on the line is All-Star MVP, claimed by Damian Lillard last year.
Kenny’s Young Stars will face off against Chuck’s Global stars in the first game, followed by Shaq’s OGs against Candace’s Rising Stars. The first team to 40 points will advance to the championship game.
Game 1: Kenny’s Young Stars vs. Chuck’s Global Stars\
Game 2: Shaq’s OGs vs. Candace’s Rising Stars\
Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
A crop of stars from around the world. A new generation taking the league by storm. All-time greats & OGs doing work.
Presenting the new team names for our #NBAAllStar squads! Watch them battle it out in The Bay on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8:00pm/et on TNT. https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1889469563546251419/photo/1— NBA (@ NBA) February 12, 2025
Kenny’s Young Stars
The young stars have a roster full of players with something to prove and I’ll always be watching Anthony Edwards. At last year’s All-Star Weekend, he vowed to shoot left-handed, doing so in the skills competition raising some eyebrows. This time around, with Team Shaq made up of old-guard players, he’ll have something to prove. He’s the player most likely to get his competitive juices going and try to show out to win MVP. – Collier
Shaq’s OGs
Can LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant keep the good times rolling? That future Hall of Fame trio had a remarkable run together while leading Team USA to gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The three players have a barrage of accolades under their belts, and their collective seven MVP awards should stand for something. Oh, and reigning Finals champion Jayson Tatum is on this team, too. Steve Kerr isn’t coaching, so Tatum shouldn’t have to worry about whether he’s in the rotation. – MacMahon
Chuck’s Global Stars
There’s a reason we haven’t seen an American player win a regular-season MVP since 2018 (James Harden). The international players have staked a claim to hoops dominance over the years. And when you’ve got an international star such as Wembanyama saying that he doesn’t “have any interest in making friends,” at the NBA All-Star Game, you can expect a serious approach from a team led by a three-time MVP (Nikola Jokic) and one of the favorites (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) to win this year’s award. – Wright
Candace’s Rising Stars
One 2024 NBA All-Star told me that the All-Star players have everything to lose and nothing to gain from playing the Rising Stars team this year, adding that it would be quite embarrassing for the young players to win the weekend. I’m worried that this could end up true, with the All-Stars appearing to care less and less about the game. So here we are. – Spears
Expert pick: Shaq’s OGs
By NBA insiders | ESPN, via ESPN