NBA All-Star Game 2026 Rules, Rosters for USA vs. World Format

The best and brightest in the NBA will convene on the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Sunday for the 2026 All-Star Game. This year's game will feature a brand-new format that takes the best from the United States and pits them against the league's best international players in a mini-round-robin tournament.

Fans can tune in Sunday night at 5 p.m. EST on NBC or stream the All-Star festivities on Peacock.

LeBron James, Jalen Brunson, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, and Anthony Edwards are just a few of the most popular stars in the game who will take center stage in the NBA's opportunity to showcase itself in the wake of the NFL's Super Bowl.

What exactly does the new format look like, who comprises the rosters, and what are the new rules for the event?

Find out in this preview of the game.

Team USA Stars

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Head coach: J.B. Bickerstaff

Scottie Barnes, frontcourt, Toronto Raptors

Devin Booker, guard, Phoenix Suns

Cade Cunningham, guard, Detroit Pistons

Jalen Duran, guard, Detroit Pistons

Anthony Edwards, guard, Minnesota Timberwolves

Chet Holmgren, frontcourt, Oklahoma City Thunder

Jalen Johnson, frontcourt, Atlanta Hawks

Tyrese Maxey, guard, Philadelphia 76ers

Team USA Stripes

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Head coach: Mitch Johnson, San Antonio Spurs

Jaylen Brown, guard, Boston Celtics

Jalen Brunson, guard, New York Knicks

Kevin Durant, frontcourt, Houston Rockets

De'Aaron Fox, guard, San Antonio Spurs (injury replacement for Giannis Antetokounmpo)

Brandon Ingram, frontcourt, Toronto Raptors (injury replacement for Steph Curry)

LeBron James, frontcourt, Los Angeles Lakers

Kawhai Leonard, frontcourt, Los Angeles Clippers

Donovan Mitchell, guard, Cleveland Cavaliers

Team World

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Head coach: Darko Rajakovic

Deni Avdija, frontcourt, Portland Trailblazers

Luka Doncic, frontcourt, Los Angeles Lakers

Nikola Jokic, frontcourt, Denver Nuggets

Jamal Murray, guard, Denver Nuggets

Norman Powell, guard, Miami Heat

Alperen Sengun, frontcourt, Houston Rockets (injury replacement for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)

Pascal Siakam, frontcourt, Indiana Pacers

Karl-Anthony Towns, frontcourt, New York Knicks

Victor Wembanyama, frontcourt, San Antonio Spurs

Format

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This year's NBA All-Star Game will feature a round-robin mini tournament of four 12-minute games. This is the format, per NBA.com:

Game 1: World vs. USA Stars

Game 2: Winning Team of Game 1 vs. USA Stripes

Game 3: Losing Team of Game 1 vs. USA Stripes

Game 4: All-Star Championship (two top teams from round robin play)

If all three teams finish 1-1 after the round-robin games, the first tiebreaker will be point differential across each team's two games.

After the three-game round robin, the teams will be ranked according to the following: record, point differential, total points, random drawing.

Other Rules

Each Team will be one coach's challenge per game, regardless of the outcome of that challenge.

The same rules that apply in the last two minutes of a regular season game will apply to the last two minutes of the All-Star games.

Overtime is untimed and will be played until one team reaches the target score of 5.

Each team is entitled to one timeout during overtime.

The rules that apply in the final two minutes apply to the overtime period.