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Here’s a full breakdown of the 2023 NBA All-Star rosters.
The starters for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game didn’t feature many surprises. We always knew a superstar was going to have to come off the bench in the Eastern Conference because of the league’s weird positional mandates, and that ended up being Joel Embiid. While Zion Williamson’s nod as a starter was a bit surprising given his injury issues, the rest of the selections were full of deserving and familiar faces among the league’s best players.
Now we know the reserves for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. So many of the NBA’s best players and biggest names will be in Utah on Feb. 19, 2023 when the All-Star Game goes down. It’s the first All-Star Game in Salt Lake City since 1993.
We already did a deep dive into the 2023 NBA All-Star starters. Here’s a full look at the reserves who were chosen for the game.
Western Conference All-Stars 2023
Starters: LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Oklahoma City Thunder: SGA has fully made the superstar leap, and in the process he’s lifted the Thunder’s rebuild ahead of schedule. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging nearly 31 points per game on impressive 62 percent true shooting by being perhaps the league’s most dynamic driver. He’s so creative attacking the defense in off-beat rhythms, always finding a way to get left even when everyone knows it’s coming. His ascension has happened in large part because he’s mastered the dark arts of getting to the free throw line: SGA is averaging more than 10 attempts per game from the foul line, where he knocks down 91 percent of his shots.
Damian Lillard, G, Portland Trail Blazers: Lillard has been an elite player for so long that it’s hard to believe he’s having the best scoring season of his career at age 32 — but it’s true. Lillard is taking more three-pointers than ever before (more than 11 per game) and the terrifying threat of his pull-up jumper has opened the lane for his daring drives, where he’s shooting a career-best 58 percent on two-pointers. Unfortunately, it’s the same story as always for Portland: The offense is elite, the defense is terrible, and the team is still average. Lillard’s ridiculous shot-making continues to give the Blazers a chance in every game they play.
Domantas Sabonis, C, Sacramento Kings: A lot of people scoffed at the Kings’ decision to trade Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis at last year’s trade deadline — guilty — but it’s hard to argue with the results right now. The Kings haven’t made the NBA playoffs since 2006 (the longest streak across the four major professional sports), but if the season ended today they would have home-court advantage in the first round. By averaging 18.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 7.1 assists per game, Sabonis is putting up numbers that no one else in the league can match. So many players have had a hand in the Kings’ turnaround, but integrating Sabonis as an interior scorer and playmaker has perhaps been the biggest reason of all.
Lauri Markkanen, F, Utah Jazz: It was always easy to see Markkanen’s talent during his first five years with the Bulls and Cavaliers, but the problem was he never actually seemed to get better. That changed in a big way after he was traded to Utah as part of the Donovan Mitchell deal: Markkanen’s scoring average has increased 10 points per game, he’s finally living up to the hype as an outside shooter (43 percent from deep), and he’s putting down the dunks he missed so often early in his career. Few 7-footers in the league are this versatile offensively. The Jazz may have traded two superstars over the offseason to start their rebuild, but they already found a new one to build around.
Ja Morant, G, Memphis Grizzlies: Morant and the Grizzlies aren’t sneaking up on anyone this year, but he remains the driving force behind one of the best teams in the league. The 23-year-old point guard brings a combination of scoring, athleticism, and playmaking that feels nearly unmatched in league history. While his scoring efficiency and defense could stand to improve, Morant’s game is simply so thrilling to watch that it’s hard to poke holes in it. The Grizzlies are dreaming big, and Morant is the reason those dreams can come to fruition.
Paul George, G, Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers’ championship aspirations haven’t fully come into focus yet this year, but when Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are on the court at the same time, LA can still dream big. George earned the All-Star nod out of the Clippers duo because he’s been available more often. PG13 has been one of the league’s premier two-way wings for years at this point, and that’s still the case at age 32. He’s averaging 23-5-6 this year with typically stellar defense and long-range shooting.
Jaren Jackson Jr., C, Memphis Grizzlies: JJJ didn’t make his season debut until mid-Nov. because of a right foot injury, but since he’s returned to the lineup he’s arguably become the front-runner to win Defensive Player of the Year. Jackson is a shot-blocking menace who can put a lid on the rim defensively and stretch the floor on offense with a 36.3 percent mark from three-point range. The 23-year-old has a unique skill set and benefits from Steven Adams doing a lot of the dirty work in Memphis, but there’s no doubt he’s one of the league’s best young bigs.
Eastern Conference All-Stars 2023
Starters: Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Kyrie Irving
Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers: How many MVP winners have come off the bench in the All-Star Game? Embiid might be destined to go down as an answer to a trivia question for just that reason. Because of the league’s arcane voting rules, one of Durant-Antetokounmpo-Tatum-Embiid wouldn’t be able to start, and the Sixers’ superstar was the odd man out. Regardless, Embiid is playing as well as anyone in the league right now, just out-dueled Nikola Jokic in a head-to-head matchup, and has the Sixers flying up the East standings. This season feels like NBA Finals or bust for Philly, and Embiid will be the player driving them there.
Tyrese Haliburton, G, Indiana Pacers: The Pacers were starting to turn into the Kings of the Eastern Conference (somehow a compliment this year) when Haliburton was healthy. The third-year guard was leading the league in assists and improving his own personal scoring punch to such an impressive degree that many believed he should start this game over Kyrie Irving. Haliburton has outstanding vision at point guard, he’s a 40 percent shooter from three, and he’s always mucking things up for his opponent on defense. Somehow that Sabonis-Haliburton swap has worked out great for both franchises, but the Pacers have to feel thrilled with locking Haliburton down as the face of their franchise long-term.
Jaylen Brown, G, Boston Celtics: Brown just gets better and better every year, and at this point has a compelling case as the best No. 2 option in the league. He’s scoring more than ever this season at 27 points per game, and he proved how good he could be defensively on the biggest stages in last year’s playoffs. There just aren’t many players in the league with the length, athleticism, one-on-one scoring punch, defense, and rebounding Brown provides. After being stuck in trade rumors annually for the early part of his career, it sure feels like Boston made the right move keeping him around.
Jrue Holiday, G, Milwaukee Bucks: There aren’t many guards in the league better on both ends of the court than Holiday, and he continues to prove his worth for a Milwaukee team looking to win its second championship with this core. Holiday is a pit bull defender who continues to lock up opposing guards even at age 32, and this season he’s putting together one of his best offensive years yet. Holiday’s averages of 19.4 points and 7.2 assists per game aren’t career highs, but they’re close. He’s helped keep the Bucks alive next to Giannis while Khris Middleton has been in and out of the lineup with injuries.
Julius Randle, F, New York Knicks: Randle’s emergence into a surprise All-Star (and Second-Team All-NBA selection!) was the feel-good story of the 2021 season. Then the Knicks got smoked in the playoffs by Trae Young and the Hawks, and both Randle and the Knicks disappointed by falling short of the playoffs last year. Well, Randle has been great again this season for the Knicks, mostly because he’s shooting the ball better all over the floor. Randle’s midrange shooting numbers are significantly improved from last season, and he’s again credibly stretching the floor from three, too. The Knicks are back in playoff position, and it’s because Randle is back to playing like an All-Star.
DeMar DeRozan, G, Chicago Bulls: DeRozan’s first season in Chicago was always going to be hard to top: He torched nets from midrange, emerged as the best clutch scorer in the league, and carried the Bulls to the playoffs for the first time since they traded Jimmy Butler. The Bulls’ vibes have been terrible all year in part because of Lonzo Ball’s ongoing injury, but DeRozan’s level of play has been remarkably consistent. While he hasn’t yet hit multiple game-winning buzzer-beaters, he remains tremendous at taking care of the ball, getting to the foul line, and hitting almost everything inside the three-point line. DeRozan simply knows who he is as a player, and it’s a joy to watch.
Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat: Adebayo has been the one constant for Miami all season as the other key players on the roster have been in and out of the lineup. The 25-year-old continues to be one of the best and most versatile defensive players in the game, showing the ability to cover ground on the perimeter and stay strong in the paint. The biggest development for Bam this year has happened on the offensive end, where he’s averaging a career-best 21.4 points per game and doing it by improving as a short mid-range shooter. His game isn’t flashy, but Adabayo’s skill set would be coveted by almost any team.
