NBA All-Star Game rosters just aren’t big enough. That’s the top takeaway after the league finalized its 24-man roster with the announcement of the All-Star reserves on Thursday night. There are so many deserving players who won’t get the chance to play in the All-Star Game, which is the ultimate show of just how deep the league is right now.
The All-Star roster feels like it was largely determined by durability. Luka Doncic is usually an All-Star lock, but he doesn’t even make our snubs list after being sidelined by another calf injury. It would have been fascinating to see if Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson made the team had he not suffered a season-ending torn labrum earlier this week. Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner would have been a lock without a torn oblique muscle.
Our biggest snub is a player who has been productive and durable the entire season. Here’s our list of the biggest 2025 NBA All-Star Game snubs, ranked by how egregious they are.
9. Jalen Johnson, FC, Atlanta Hawks: Johnson was just ruled out for the season with a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He had been playing at an All-Star level after signing a big contract extension this offseason, establishing himself as one of the better young two-way forwards in the league. He will end this season averaging 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game.
8. Franz Wagner, FC, Orlando Magic: Wagner has only played in 28 of the Magic’s 48 games this season after needing to recover from a torn right oblique muscle. Before the injury, Wagner wasn’t just looking like an All-Star — he was looking like an All-NBA player. The 6’10 forward is a dynamic off-the-dribble creator, a slightly improved three-point shooter, and a key defensive playmaker on one of the league’s best defenses. He’s averaging 24.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game. He and teammate Paolo Banchero are going to be making trips to the All-Star Game for years to come.
7. Norman Powell, BC, Los Angeles Clippers: Powell has a legit case for the Most Improved Player award by putting together a career-season at age-32. Powell is averaging 24 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game on ridiculous 43.5 percent three-point shooting and 63.6 percent true shooting. The Clippers seemed poised for a down year after Paul George bolted to the Sixers this summer, but Powell has replaced his production and then some to keep the team in the playoff hunt.
6. Zach LaVine, BC, Chicago Bulls: LaVine has reminded the league how good he is this year after he was knocked out by injuries for most of last season. The Bulls guard is a dynamic rim attacker and a deadly three-point shooter, which helps make him the rare volume scorer who still gets his points with tremendous efficiency. He averages 24 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 44.6 percent from three-point range with 63.7 percent true shooting. He reportedly remains highly available on the trade market. Will any team take a swing on him?
5. LaMelo Ball, BC, Charlotte Hornets: Ball led Eastern Conference guards in fan voting, but lost out on a starting spot because of the media vote. He’s put up wild numbers and even wilder highlights for the Hornets this season, but he’s failed to have an impact on winning as the team is stuck in another tanking year. Ball is averaging 28.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. Durability has again been an issue as he’s been limited to only 31 games this season.
4. Jarrett Allen, FC, Cleveland Cavaliers: Allen has spent this entire season making a case that the Cavs deserves four All-Stars. The big man has been a star in his role by anchoring the defense and finishing everything inside. He’s averaging 13.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game while being the league’s most efficient scorer with a 72.2 true shooting percentage.
3. Trae Young, BC, Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks have built a team of big, strong athletes around Young, and the vibes feel better even if the results have mostly remained mediocre. Young leads the NBA in assists by dropping 11.4 dimes per game while being top-25 in scoring at 22.7 points per game. It’s so much fun to watch Young throw lobs to teammates Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels. It would be nice if he could hit a few more three-pointers: he’s only shooting 34.2 percent from deep this season.
2. Kyrie Irving, BC, Dallas Mavericks: Irving has continued his fantastic tenure with the Mavericks this season by carrying the offense as Luka Doncic has been sidelined by injuries. Irving is averaging 24.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game with 42.2 percent three-point shooting and 60.1 percent true shooting. The 32-year-old has been on his best behavior in Dallas and was sensational in helping lead the team to the 2024 NBA Finals.
1. Domantas Sabonis, FC, Sacramento Kings: Sabonis is quietly one of the most productive players in the NBA. He’s averaging 21 points, 14.6 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game on ridiculous 67.8 percent true shooting. The Kings have been a mess firing their head coach Mike Brown during this season and seeing co-star De’Aaron Fox start to push for a trade. Sabonis remains their rock inside and the organization’s foundational piece moving forward.
