Giannis Won't Play in 2026 NBA All-Star Game amid Calf Injury, Updated Team World Roster

Sunday's NBA All-Star Game took yet another hit with an injured star opting out of the annual showcase.

The Bucks announced on Thursday that star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will not play for Team World in the All-Star Game due to his ongoing recovery from a right calf strain. He joins Oklahoma City Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdomen) as a Team World starter who will be sidelined on Sunday.

The NBA announced San Antonio Spurs point guard De'Aaron Fox will replace Antetokounmpo and represent USA Stripes. Miami Heat guard Norman Powell, who has ties to Jamaica, will move from the USA Stripes roster to Team World.

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun was named the injury replacement for Gilgeous-Alexander. Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry was also ruled out for USA Stripes due to a knee injury and replaced by Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram.

It should also be noted that Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic, a starter for Team World, will miss his fourth straight game on Thursday night due to a hamstring injury, so his status for the All-Star Game also appears to be in question.

Even Friday's Rising Stars Challenge lost some significant star power after Dallas Mavericks star rookie Cooper Flagg was ruled out through the All-Star break due to a mid-foot sprain.

Antetokounmpo hasn't played since Jan. 23 while dealing with his second calf injury of this season. In addition to his struggles to stay on the court, the 31-year-old has spent most of the 2025-26 campaign as the subject of trade rumors. Missing the All-Star Game adds to the nightmarish season for the two-time NBA MVP.

Sunday's All-Star Game will introduce a new format with a round robin tournament between three eight-player teams, but the injuries to some of the league's biggest stars undoubtedly diminish the excitement for the weekend.