A week after the Super Bowl, the NBA takes center stage with its annual All-Star Weekend, bringing together the league’s top talent. The 2025 All-Star Game will feature superstars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry. However, two marquee players are set to miss the event due to injuries, prompting commissioner Adam Silver to search for replacements.
Amid ongoing criticism of the All-Star Game’s new format, the NBA recently unveiled its rosters for the highly anticipated weekend. While the league’s biggest names will take the floor, notable absences have been confirmed, including Luka Doncic, who has yet to recover from an injury.
Another major setback comes from Anthony Davis, who is expected to miss multiple games for the Dallas Mavericks. Additionally, the Milwaukee Bucks will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is sidelined for several weeks with a calf strain, ruling him out of the All-Star festivities.
With two All-Star spots now vacant, NBA Insider Chris Haynes reported that Silver will handpick their replacements. “NBA commissioner Adam Silver will select two injury replacements for the All-Star Game with Anthony Davis (adductor strain) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf strain) out for a period of time,” Haynes shared on X.
What happened to Antetokounmpo?
Antetokounmpo’s status took a turn ahead of the Bucks’ matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, as Rivers revealed the decision to sideline him came at the last moment. “He wanted to play the Charlotte game but didn’t feel great once he got on the floor,” Rivers said. “That was a game-time decision. Thank God he didn’t play. Since then, we’ve been monitoring it, and it just hasn’t improved enough for him to return.”
The Bucks coach emphasized the importance of managing Antetokounmpo’s recovery with the postseason in mind. “If this were a playoff game, would he play? Probably, yes. But it’s not, and we want to make sure he’s healthy for the playoffs,” Rivers added.
“Obviously, we haven’t been playing well over the last seven games, and we’d love to have him, but you’ve still got to be smart. At the end of the day, getting him healthy is the priority,” Rivers remarked.
How will Silver select replacements for the All-Star game?
With Antetokounmpo’s injury potentially keeping him out of the NBA All-Star Game, Silver will be tasked with naming a replacement. According to league rules, NBA commissioner selects injury replacements based on the results of the All-Star voting within each conference. The next-highest vote-getter who was not initially selected will typically be chosen to fill the roster spot.
In this case, Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero and Sacramento Kings’ Domantas Sabonis are reportedly among the top candidates to replace Antetokounmpo. However, final decisions will also depend on player availability and league considerations.