Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Karl-Anthony Towns Named 2025 NBA All-Star Starters

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via UK Athletics
via UK Athletics

Kentucky’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Karl-Anthony Towns are headed to the 2025 NBA All-Star Game as starters, as announced Thursday night on TNT. The selection reflects their stellar performances during the first half of the 2024-25 season, with voting coming from fans, players, and media alike.

The reimagined All-Star event will be held on Feb. 16 at the Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors. This year, the format features a mini-tournament with four teams and three games, adding a fresh twist to the classic showcase.

Gilgeous-Alexander is making his third All-Star appearance and his second consecutive start. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard has been one of the league’s brightest stars this season, leading the NBA with an impressive 32.0 points per game while adding 6.1 assists, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game. His defensive contributions rank him second in the league in steals, behind only Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels. Thanks to his efforts, the Thunder sit atop the Western Conference with a league-best 36-7 record. Gilgeous-Alexander’s dominance earned him Western Conference Player of the Month honors for both November and December.

A former Kentucky Wildcat, Gilgeous-Alexander shined during the 2017-18 season, where he averaged 14.4 points and 5.1 assists. He was named MVP of the SEC Tournament, leading Kentucky to a championship win over Tennessee, and earned All-SEC Second Team and All-SEC Freshman Team honors.

Towns, now in his first season with the New York Knicks, is also having a career year. The 10-year NBA veteran is averaging 25.1 points, a career-high 13.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. He’s shooting a career-best 43.3% from three and matching his best field-goal percentage at 54.5%. Towns has earned his fifth All-Star selection but his first as a starter. His outstanding play in December also earned him his first Eastern Conference Player of the Month award.

During his time at Kentucky, Towns was a key piece of the historic 2014-15 team that started the season 38-0 before reaching the Final Four. He averaged 13.9 points and 6.7 rebounds, earning consensus Second Team All-American and SEC Freshman of the Year honors.

With the All-Star starters set, fans now await the announcement of reserves on Jan. 30. Last season, Kentucky made history with seven alumni selected as All-Stars, breaking the record for the most players from a single collegiate program in one All-Star Game. This year, Big Blue Nation will be watching to see if that legacy continues.