By Eurohoops Team / info@eurohoops.net
It is official that the format will be different in the 2018 All-Star game at Staples Center. There will no longer be two teams based on the two conferences but teams with a captain who will draft the rest of the team, starters and reserves. It will mark the first All-Star game without a matchup between the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. The 24 players selected will remain the same, 12 from each conference.
The players and the league have agreed to try out something new for this year’s All-Star game. Moreover, the 2018 All-Star teams will play for charity.
In detail the official announcement.
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced today a new All-Star Game format for NBA All-Star 2018 in Los Angeles. This will mark the NBA’s first All-Star Game without a matchup between the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference.
Under the revamped format, two captains will draft the 2018 All-Star teams from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves, making selections without regard for conference affiliation. The captains will be the All-Star starter from each conference who receives the most fan votes in his conference.
The 67th All-Star Game will be played at Staples Center on Sunday, Feb. 18 (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT), with TNT televising the midseason classic for the 16th consecutive year.
“I’m thrilled with what the players and the league have done to improve the All-Star Game, which has been a priority for all of us,” said NBPA President Chris Paul of the Houston Rockets. “We’re looking forward to putting on an entertaining show in L.A.”
“We’re excited about the new All-Star format and appreciate the players’ willingness to try something new,” said NBA President, League Operations Byron Spruell.
In another new feature, the 2018 All-Star teams will play for charity. Each team will select a Los Angeles-area charity or national organization where donations will be used to support local efforts.
The process for selecting the 24 All-Stars will remain the same, with 12 players from each conference earning spots. The 10 starters – two guards and three frontcourt players per conference – will continue to be chosen by a combination of fans (50 percent of the vote), current players (25 percent) and basketball media (25 percent). The NBA’s head coaches will still select the 14 reserves, voting for two guards, three frontcourt players and two players at any position in their respective conferences. Specific details about the draft will be announced at a later date.
TNT will reveal the All-Star Game starters and captains on Thursday, Jan. 18 and unveil the reserves on Tuesday, Jan. 23. NBA All-Star Voting 2018 presented by Verizon will tip off on Monday, Dec. 25 before five Christmas Day games across ESPN, ABC and TNT.