The 2026 All-Star starters are official, and the league went full “positionless” with it this time. The 10 names dropped on January 19, and they’re the kind of list that looks unstoppable at first glance: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, and Tyrese Maxey out East, then Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama out West.
This is also the first year the starter vote leaned into the new setup, fans still had 50% of the say, with players and media splitting the rest at 25% each. So yeah, popularity still matters, but it’s not supposed to be a straight-up fan contest anymore.
And that’s why the snub conversation gets loud fast. Because when you look at who missed, you’re not talking about fringe dudes having hot stretches. You’re talking about top-tier stars with outrageous season lines who should absolutely be in the “starting five” debate, especially now that positions aren’t supposed to block anyone.
Now let’s talk about who should be starting, because five players might’ve gotten absolutely jobbed.
1. Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards’ case is simple: he’s playing like a top-five scorer, and he’s doing it without the usual “yeah but the efficiency” asterisk.
He’s averaging 29.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 50.4% from the field and 41.8% from three. That’s insane for a high-volume perimeter engine. It’s not just shot-making either, it’s pressure. He collapses defenses, forces rotations, and makes every possession feel like a problem.
Now add the team context. The Timberwolves are 27-16, sitting 4th in the West. That’s not a play-in story, that’s a top-four seed pace in the tougher conference. They’re scoring 120.0 points per game on 48.5% shooting, and they’re not winning off vibes. They’ve been legitimately productive.
The wild part is that Ant didn’t even lose cleanly. The last West starter spot reportedly came down to a tie between Edwards and Victor Wembanyama, and Wembanyama won it via the fan-vote tiebreaker.
So when you ask “who should he replace,” it’s Wembanyama, strictly because that’s literally the slot he almost took.
And yeah, Wembanyama’s been awesome, and the Spurs are winning big. But the entire point of going positionless is to reward the best seasons, not just crown the most viral candidate. Ant has been the most explosive American scorer in the West this year, and he’s doing it with shooting splits that scream “starter.”
If the tiebreak swings the other way, nobody even argues it.
Replacement: Victor Wembanyama.
2. Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell’s snub is the most annoying one because it’s the one where you look at the numbers and feel like the conversation should already be over if this were last season, when the Cavaliers had the No. 1 spot in the East.
He’s at 29.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, with 48.5% from the field and 38.4% from three. That’s “best guard in the East” level production on a night-to-night basis.
And unlike some gaudy stat seasons, this one has been loud. Mitchell isn’t just scoring, he’s controlling games. He’s creating clean looks, he’s punishing switches, and he’s been the guy every defense loads up for. The Cavaliers haven’t always been smooth, but they’re still 24-20, 7th in the East. In a conference where a couple of games swing you multiple seeds, that’s solid, although disappointing for a team that won 64 games last year.
Now compare him to the guy I’m bumping.
Jalen Brunson has had a great year, 28.1 points and 6.1 assists, and he deserved to be in the conversation. The Knicks are also winning, sitting 25-18, 3rd in the East. So this isn’t me calling Brunson a fraud. It’s just the “starter” argument.
Mitchell has the scoring edge; he’s been more terrifying as a three-level threat, and his defensive activity has been better, too. He’s at 1.5 steals per game, he’s jumping passing lanes, and he’s not just standing around waiting for the next pull-up.
Also, “positionless” voting means we don’t have to lock ourselves into “two guards, two forwards, one big” logic. If you’re picking the five best East starters for this season, Mitchell belongs in that group. Someone had to pay the price, and for me, it’s Brunson, by a hair.
Replacement: Jalen Brunson.
3. LeBron James
LeBron James not starting feels wrong, even when you understand why it happened.
He missed the first 14 games with sciatica, and that basically nuked his starter momentum before the season even got rolling. Reports flat-out tied the snub to the slow start created by the missed time. But here’s the thing: once he got on the floor, he looked like… LeBron.
He’s averaging 22.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists on 50.9% shooting. At his age, that line is ridiculous, and it still comes with the “he controls everything” feel.
Team context matters too. The Lakers are 25-16, 6th in the West. That’s a real record, especially in a conference where you don’t get freebies. So who does he replace?
This is where I’m going to be honest: LeBron’s best “replacement” argument is less about raw stat superiority, and more about what the starter group is supposed to represent. All-Star starters are supposed to be the season’s headline guys, the ones who actually define the league’s storylines. LeBron is still that guy, even if the league is sprinting into the next era.
That’s why my replacement is Stephen Curry.
Curry is still amazing and he earned it in the vote, but he’s also the cleanest “fan inertia” starter in the West every year. Even the coverage around the starter announcement leaned into the idea that Curry’s popularity is part of the story.
And the team argument isn’t a knockout for Curry either. The Warriors are 24-19, 8th in the West. Good team, not a top seed.
If we’re doing “positionless” and we want the five most impactful, most defining stars of the season in the West, LeBron has a real case to be on that line.
Replacement: Stephen Curry.
4. Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant getting left out is the purest example of voter fatigue meeting a new system that still behaves like the old one.
He’s averaging 26.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists on 51.0% from the field and 39.3% from three. That’s elite scoring with elite efficiency. It’s not empty either. It’s constant mismatch pressure, midrange punishment, and “you can’t scheme me out” offense.
The team case actually boosts him, too. The Rockets are 25-15, 5th in the West. That’s a winning season, not a “cool stats, bad team” situation.
And here’s why Durant is such a clean “positionless” starter: he’s the exact archetype that should benefit from removing positions. A two-way-sized scorer who can play next to anyone and doesn’t crowd the lineup. If you’re building a starting five that’s supposed to be unstoppable, Durant is one of the first names you write down, because there’s no awkward fit. He is the fit.
So who does he replace?
I’m going Curry again, and I’m not even trying to be disrespectful. If you already have Doncic and Shai starting in the West, adding a third guard can feel like you’re building the “most popular three-guard” lineup instead of the “best five.”
KD’s case is basically: similar star power, better size, better plug-and-play lineup value, and a slightly better team seed.
Replacement: Stephen Curry.
5. Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard is the hardest one because the production screams “starter,” but the availability and team record scream “that’s why the votes didn’t get there.”
Let’s start with the on-court part, because it’s ridiculous. Kawhi is putting up 28.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists, with 49.7% from the field, 39.9% from three, and 94.1% at the line. That’s basically pristine, “I’m not missing” basketball.
And when he’s on, he changes matchups. You can’t hide a defender on him, you can’t switch smalls onto him, and you can’t play soft help without him picking you apart. He’s also been active defensively; 2.2 steals per game is absurd for a wing carrying that kind of scoring load.
Now the bad news, and it’s real: the Clippers are 19-23, 10th in the West. That record crushed any “auto-starter” narrative. And recently, he missed time with a knee contusion, including sitting out two straight games.
But if we’re talking “snub,” we’re talking about what he is when he plays. Kawhi has been a top-level two-way wing this season. The positionless format should have made it easier for a guy like this to sneak into the five, because he complements everyone. Put him next to Jokic, Doncic, Shai, and any stretch big, and the lineup becomes a nightmare.
So yeah, I’m bumping Curry again, and for the same reason. Three guards is a preference, not a requirement. If you’re picking the most terrifying five-man group in the West, Kawhi’s skillset belongs in the starter group.
Replacement: Stephen Curry.
Final Thoughts
I’m not going to pretend Stephen Curry being a West starter is some robbery. It’s deserved. He’s at 27.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists on 47.0% from the field, and the whole point of an All-Star starting five is having guys who can bend the game in five seconds. Curry still does that better than basically anyone, snubs included.
The player I’d seriously hear over Curry is Kevin Durant, and that’s just because KD’s season has been ridiculous in the cleanest way. If you told me KD should’ve been in that five, I’m not arguing, I’m probably nodding.
And yeah, LeBron should’ve been a starter because he’s LeBron. The voting system and missed time explain why it didn’t happen, not because his play fell off a cliff. He’s still at 22.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists on 50.9% shooting, and the All-Star Game is supposed to showcase the biggest forces in the sport. He’s still one of them, even if the ballot didn’t treat him like it.
