NBA All-Star Game 2016 Rosters: Starters, Reserves, Injury Updates on Top Stars

The NBA's best take to Toronto's Air Canada Centre Sunday for the 65th All-Star Game.

This iteration has a bit of everything for fans. It's one of the most hyped editions in recent memory because superstar Kobe Bryant takes to the festivities one last time. Paul George returns, Russell Westbrook is back to defend his MVP and James Harden's beard will be there.

As it should be, the roster is one of the most ridiculous things ever crafted, an allotment of names otherwise only possible in a video game.

Here are the starters and reserves:

Starters	Player	Team
Reserves	Player	Team
BC	Kyle Lowry	Toronto Raptors
BC	Dwyane Wade	Miami Heat
FC	LeBron James	Cleveland Cavaliers
FC	Paul George	Indiana Pacers
FC	Carmelo Anthony	New York Knicks
BC	Jimmy Butler*	Chicago Bulls
BC	DeMar DeRozan	Toronto Raptors
BC	John Wall	Washington Wizards
BC	Isaiah Thomas	Boston Celtics
FC	Chris Bosh	Miami Heat
FC	Paul Millsap	Atlanta Hawks
FC	Andre Drummond	Detroit Pistons
FC	Pau Gasol (replacing Butler)	Chicago Bulls

Starters	Player	Team
Reserves	Player	Team
BC	Stephen Curry	Golden State Warriors
BC	Russell Westbrook	Oklahoma City Thunder
FC	Kobe Bryant	Los Angeles Lakers
FC	Kevin Durant	Oklahoma City Thunder
FC	Kawhi Leonard	San Antonio Spurs
BC	Chris Paul	Los Angeles Clippers
BC	James Harden	Houston Rockets
BC	Klay Thompson	Golden State Warriors
FC	LaMarcus Aldridge	San Antonio Spurs
FC	DeMarcus Cousins	Sacramento Kings
FC	Anthony Davis	New Orleans Pelicans
FC	Draymond Green	Golden State Warriors

As is the case with any All-Star Game, though, the injury bug does play a role in the festivities.

For example, Chicago Bulls superstar Jimmy Butler, he of a league-high 37.9 minutes per game with 22.4 points for good measure, won't be able to suit up, according to the team.

In an interesting turn of events, this made room for Butler's teammate Pau Gasol. An injury is never a good thing, but this development gives fans something they should have thought of during the voting process—the chance to see Gasol and Bryant together at the All-Star Game one last time. 

Butler isn't the only one hurting going into the event. According to Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post, Washington Wizards point guard John Wall isn't sure his knee will allow him to give it a go:

Missing Wall would obviously be a huge loss for the Eastern Conference squad, especially with Butler already out of the picture. The former Kentucky standout is averaging 20.0 points and 9.9 assists this year.

While the injury developments are unfortunate, they certainly won't take away from the historic weight of this occasion.

Sunday is the first time the Association's All-Star Game will leave American soil, and that's not the only thing making waves this weekend.

For example, LeBron James, as a way of thanking the host city, gifted 23 different sports teams at Earl Haig Secondary School with new jerseys, according to Tom Withers of the Associated Press.

"It means a lot to me and my foundation to be able to give back to every All-Star city, and in Toronto we wanted to do something special for some teams and groups that earned it," James said.

LJ's Fam Foundation captured the moment:

On a more historic note, San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon will be the first woman to hold the position at the event. Already the first female assistant coach in NBA history and the first female coach in the NBA Summer League, Hammon is happy to use the platform as a way to help the sport evolve.

“I can’t tell you just how many women come up to me and they’re so proud—and men too,” Hammon said, according to Sports Illustrated. “Dads that have daughters and sisters and mothers, they’re just so genuinely excited that doors and opportunities are now being opened."

On the court, it's easy for fans to expect fireworks—fireworks centered on Bryant. 

Like most of this season, the main focus of the Association has gone to what has been aptly described as Bryant's retirement tour, with every city he visits for the final time honoring him in some way.

Bryant's hasn't been able to save the Lakers from an 11-win mark, but all is forgotten in a weekend meant to celebrate the league's best. For Bryant, gunning for the game's MVP, which would also make history by giving him No. 5 and passing Bob Pettit, makes plenty of sense.

Former Lakers teammate Shaquille O’Neal concurred.

“If he can find his stroke and get it going a little bit, I can guarantee you he’s going to go for the MVP,” O’Neal said in a conference call, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “It’s his last one. Why not go out with a bang?”

This makes it easy to focus on the Western Conference as favorites, which makes plenty of sense. The roster will do everything in its power to make sure Bryant goes out on top, which is quite a lot with Westbrook, Harden, Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins and Stephen Curry all on the same roster.

In fact, it might be quite difficult for the Eastern Conference to keep up, especially if Wall joins Butler on the sidelines out of uniform. George, James and Carmelo Anthony can take over games, but it's a different beast than a normal contest when one has to thwart Curry and four or five other players who could take the MVP award.

The power has rested in the Western Conference for quite a long time. Balance has somewhat evened out, but it's the Eastern Conference entering this one hobbled and without a historical motivation such as Bryant.

Good luck figuring out if Bryant can actually reel in the hardware given the incredible depth of talent around him, but at least expect Bryant's farewell stop at the All-Star Game to result in a win.

All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.