2025 NBA All-Star Snubs: How Was Victor Wembanyama Not Voted a Starter?

The 2025 NBA All-Star starters are officially official. And surprise, surprise: We have snubs to discuss.

First, though, let's have a look at who made the starter's cut:

• Eastern Conference Starters: Jalen Brunson, Donovan Mitchell, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Karl-Anthony Towns
• Western Conference Starters: Stephen Curry, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Nikola Jokić

Griping about players who should have made it without acknowledging who they could or should replace is easy—a largely disingenuous task. This look at All-Star-starter snubs will attempt to rise above the mindless ragebait and agendas.

The following players are here precisely because they have a case over someone else in their conference. And we will talk about who. This does not necessarily mean they are the right or only decision. Instead, it is an acknowledgment that these players deserve to be here, even if the math (i.e. number of starter spots) doesn't check out.

Settling on just one of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell is borderline impossible. But with Jalen Brunson averaging more points and assists on better efficiency than Mitchell, this is, in fact, an either-or proposition.

Though Mitchell's scoring numbers pop more, it's not by much (23.2 points per game versus 21.2 for Garland). Garland profiles as the more efficient scorer, including on self-created shots. But there's something to be said about the difficulty of their matchups. Mitchell is almost always going up against the better defender.

Garland accounts for a larger share of the Cleveland Cavaliers offense, on a per-game basis, when factoring in points generated off assists (17.4 per game vs. 12.0). Mitchell, on the other hand, sees the team fare better during his solo minutes (plus-14.9 net rating) compared to Garland's leading-man reps (plus-9.2). Even if you think this says more about the difference between Evan Mobley (plays more with Mitchell) and Jarrett Allen (plays more with Garland), it still matters.

Defensive responsibility ends up being a difference-maker, too. Mitchell has probably been better on the less-glamorous side. Garland sees more time against glitzier assignments.

Both players are fantastic. So, in reality, this isn't an outright snub as much as a matter-of-preference.

Victor Wembanyama failing to bag a starter's slot needn't be couched by caveats. It is a snub.

The 21-year-old is averaging 24.6 points with a 59.2 True Shooting Percentage. He's collecting 10.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.1 steals and, somehow, 4.0 blocks per game. Excluding him from the starter's pool for anyone other than Nikola Jokić feels like resistance to accepting the new world order.

Pointing to the standings as the impetus behind Kevin Durant and LeBron James getting in over him doesn't fly here. The Phoenix Suns are just a game-and-a-half in front of the San Antonio Spurs. More critically, San Antonio's net rating with Wemby (plus-3.7) is higher than Phoenix's with KD (minus-0.1) and the Los Angeles Lakers' with LeBron (minus-4.8).

Focusing on individual brilliance doesn't change things. Wemby has LeBron beat in points per game and outstrips both he and KD in rebounds, blocks and steals.

The gap in efficiency between Wemby and the vets isn't nearly large enough—or large at all—to give either the edge. Especially when you factor in that Wemby subsists on the toughest three-point shot quality of the trio, per BBall Index. And most definitely not when neither KD nor LeBron is even on the periphery of a Defensive Player of the Year race with which Wemby is running away.

LeBron James getting a starter's nod over Anthony Davis isn't a surprise when accounting for the fan vote. LeBron received nearly 1 million more fan votes than AD, because, well, he's LeBron, the rare legend who still plays like one, even if he's nowhere near his absolute peak.

You would nevertheless be hard-pressed to find anyone who thinks he's been better—or more valuable—to the Lakers this season than AD.

LeBron will always ferry the higher overall workload because of his playmaking. But Davis, who is averaging more points (25.7) than LeBron (23.7), has become enough of a shot-creator to deliver more overarching offensive lifts.

Stack that onto this defensive responsibility and results, along with each player's on-off differentials, and this isn't an especially hot take. On 2024-25 merit alone, if one Lakers player deserves a starting spot, it is Anthony Davis.

Dan Favale covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@danfavale), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, co-hosted by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes.

Unless otherwise cited, stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference, Stathead or Cleaning the Glass. Salary information via Spotrac. Draft-pick obligations via RealGM.