The NBA recently revealed the 2026 All-Star starters and the voting totals behind these choices. Fans and players often debate over the selections, but it’s clear: many players don’t take this process seriously.
Nikola Jokić and Cade Cunningham topped the player votes in their conferences, which makes sense. Both are outstanding talents and were easy picks for my own unofficial ballot. The All-Star voting combines three groups: fans (50%), media (25%), and players (25%).
If only players’ votes counted, the All-Star line-up would look quite different. For instance, Luka Dončić, the scoring leader, ended up with the sixth-most player votes. Even rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama didn’t fare well, finishing seventh. This raises questions about how players view their peers. Some players prioritize friendships over performance when making their picks.
Here’s how the player votes stacked up:
Top Voting Results
Western Conference:
- Jokić
- Curry
- Gilgeous-Alexander
- Edwards
- Durant
Eastern Conference:
- Cunningham
- Antetokounmpo
- Brown
- Brunson
- Maxey
Despite being the best, Jokić and Cunningham were only voted for by a small fraction of their peers. Cunningham, for example, received 159 votes, but that only represented 41% of the total player ballots. This shows a lack of consensus among players regarding who deserves to start.
Historically, player voting became a part of All-Star selections after a notable incident involving Zaza Pachulia in 2016. A Vine star nearly pushed him into the All-Star Game, highlighting flaws in fan voting. Since then, the inclusion of media and players aimed to offer a more balanced view.
The selections lead to amusing outcomes. For instance, some players who had barely played still received votes. Players often support their friends or themselves, leading to quirky nominations. A total of 364 different players were mentioned by their peers, showcasing how diverse opinions can be.
This voting behavior hasn’t changed much over the years. In 2018, examples of odd self-voting were also noted. Most players tend to pick their friends or teammates, rarely fully considering others who may have better stats.
While these quirky results keep things interesting, the league still manages to recognize deserving candidates in the All-Star lineup. It’s all in good fun, even if it muddles the criteria for what qualifies as an “All-Star.”
As we look ahead to this year’s game, it’s clear that player votes will continue to be part of the chatter, and who knows? Perhaps we’ll see even more humorous nominations in the future!
