NBA All-Star Game 2019: Explaining Draft Format, Examining Latest Voting Results

Last year's NBA All-Star Game introduced a bold new format, and the event went swimmingly.

The new framework centered around the fact that the matchup was no longer between the Eastern and Western Conference, Instead, it was based on team captains from both conferences who selected their teams from a pool of players designated as starters and reserves.

The only rub against the new rules was the fact that the player draft was not televised.

The league heard everyone's complaints and remedied the process for the 68th annual midseason classic at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

When the two captains choose their squads, basketball fans will see who gets picked first and who gets picked last.

It will be like looking in on a pickup game but with the best players in the world.

Judging by the third returns from fan voting, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo (3,626,909 votes) will be the captain representing the East, and he'll be able to jump conference and select a player like Stephen Curry.

The West will be helmed by the overall leading vote-getter LeBron James (3,770,807 votes). The Los Angeles Lakers forward can also hop the conference fence and choose Kyrie Irving, for example.

The criteria to be one of the players available for the All-Star draft remains the same. Fan votes account for 50 percent of the vote, while the nominations of NBA players and members of the basketball media account for 25 percent each.

The captains are the players who receive the most fan votes from each conference.

Fan voting closed on Monday night, and the captains and starters will be revealed Thursday during the TNT NBA Tip-Off pregame show at 7 p.m. ET.

The 14 reserves (seven from each conference), selected by NBA head coaches, will be announced on the network seven days later.

While the Greek Freak holds a strong lead in the East, he's followed closely by Kawhi Leonard, who has 2,882,227 votes. Joel Embiid with 2,292,511 and Jayson Tatum 826,177 come in at the third and fourth spots for the East frontcourt.

Leading the way for the East guards is Irving with 3,187,015 votes, Dwyane Wade with 1,738,043 and hometown hero Kemba Walker with 1,156,040.

Rounding into second place behind King James in the West frontcourt is Luka Doncic with 3,301,825 votes, Paul George with 2,583,342 and Kevin Durant with 2,432,134.

Curry leads all West guards with 2,979,080, while Derrick Rose (2,712,938), James Harden (2,315,093) and Russell Westbrook (2,090,432) round out the top four.

Before the players are revealed, everyone voted on by fans, players and media will be ranked by position, and each player's score will be the result of weighted ranks of the three categories. The players with the highest scores (five from each conference) will get the nod as starters. In the event of a tie, the fan vote will get that player over the top.

There are no changes with regard to the selection of head coaches. The Eastern and Western Conference teams with the best records two weeks before the game will see their head coaches draw up X's and O's for the two squads.

For the 17th year in a row, the NBA All-Star Game will be televised on TNT. It will be broadcast live on February 17 (8 p.m. ET).

The third fan returns from NBA All-Star Voting 2019 can be seen below.

NBA All-Star Voting 2019

Eastern Conference

Frontcourt

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) 3,626,909

2. Kawhi Leonard (TOR) 2,882,227

3. Joel Embiid (PHI) 2,292,511

4. Jayson Tatum (BOS) 826,177

5. Jimmy Butler (PHI) 740,778

6. Blake Griffin (DET) 677,472

7. Vince Carter (ATL) 423,795

8. Pascal Siakam (TOR) 338,716

9. Gordon Hayward (BOS) 336,476

10. Al Horford (BOS) 291,722

Guards

1. Kyrie Irving (BOS) 3,187,015

2. Dwyane Wade (MIA) 1,738,043

3. Kemba Walker (CHA) 1,156,040

4. Ben Simmons (PHI) 941,368

5. Victor Oladipo (IND) 778,983

6. Kyle Lowry (TOR) 708,071

7. Zach LaVine (CHI) 440,568

8. Jeremy Lin (ATL) 341,024

9. Goran Dragic (MIA) 335,899

10. Bradley Beal (WAS) 251,170

Western Conference

Frontcourt

1. LeBron James (LAL) 3,770,807

2. Luka Doncic (DAL) 3,301,825

3. Paul George (OKC) 2,583,342

4. Kevin Durant (GSW) 2,432,134

5. Anthony Davis (NOP) 2,091,770

6. Steven Adams (OKC) 1,483,223

7. Nikola Jokic (DEN) 1,128,766

8. Kyle Kuzma (LAL) 899,237

9. Draymond Green (GSW) 660,276

10. DeMarcus Cousins (GSW) 450,480

Guards

1. Stephen Curry (GSW) 2,979,080

2. Derrick Rose (MIN) 2,712,938

3. James Harden (HOU) 2,315,093

4. Russell Westbrook (OKC) 2,090,432

5. Klay Thompson (GSW) 1,120,675

6. Damian Lillard (POR) 851,125

7. DeMar DeRozan (SAS) 850,415

8. Lonzo Ball (LAL) 764,892

9. Chris Paul (HOU) 419,410

10. Devin Booker (PHO) 405,432

Voting figures per NBA.com. Follow Maurice Bobb on Twitter, @ReeseReport.