The NBA All-Star Game which pits the Eastern Conference versus the Western Conference is no more.
The league announced Tuesday a tweak to the All-Star Game festivities, in which two captains will pick the squads that will compete in the mid-season clash. The two captains from each conference will be decided by a fan vote.
The personnel for the All-Star Game will remain the same, as 12 players from each conference will make up the pool from which the captains can choose from. There still will five starters from each conference, which will be determined 50 percent via fan vote, 25 percent via player vote and 25 percent via media vote. Seven reserves for each side will be selected by the respective conference’s head coach.
The two coaches will be determined the same way as in the past. The head coach of the team with the best record two weeks before the game from each conference will lead the team picked by the captain from their conference. Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens and Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr both are ineligible because they coached the game last season.
As for the All-Star draft, the 10 starting players must be chosen first, followed by the 14 reserve players. With the new system, players from opposing conferences could end up playing together, while current teammates could square off.
Fan voting for the All-Star Game will kick off Christmas Day, and starters will be announced Jan. 18, followed by the reserves Jan. 23. The timing and details of the All-Star draft have yet to be announced.
Thumbnail photo via Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports Images
