NBA All-Star Teams: A Complete History
Since 1951 the All-Star Game has snapshot the league's best in a single starting five. Here are the selection leaders, the format changes that reshaped voting, and the most dominant All-Star lineups of every decade.
The dominant All-Star starting fives by decade
One lineup per decade — picked for peak overlap (the actual year all five were simultaneously All-NBA caliber). Sim-tested for balance, spacing, and rim protection.
- PG
Oscar Robertson - SG
Sam Jones - SF
John Havlicek - PF
Bob Pettit - C
Bill Russell
Six rings on the floor before tip-off. Robertson averaged a triple-double the season this lineup formed.
- PG
Isiah Thomas - SG
Michael Jordan - SF
Larry Bird - PF
Charles Barkley - C
Moses Malone
The deepest East starting five ever. Jordan as the second option behind Bird is a thought experiment we keep running.
- PG
Magic Johnson - SG
Clyde Drexler - SF
Karl Malone - PF
Charles Barkley - C
Hakeem Olajuwon
Four future MVPs and the best slasher of the decade. Malone-Barkley was the original power-forward logjam.
- PG
Steve Nash - SG
Kobe Bryant - SF
Tracy McGrady - PF
Tim Duncan - C
Shaquille O'Neal
Three-time MVPs at PG and C with prime Kobe in between. The most balanced offensive starting five of the decade.
- PG
Chris Paul - SG
James Harden - SF
Kevin Durant - PF
Anthony Davis - C
DeMarcus Cousins
Two MVPs and the most efficient pick-and-roll point guard ever — modern spacing and rim pressure in one starting five.
- PG
Trae Young - SG
Donovan Mitchell - SF
Jayson Tatum - PF
Giannis Antetokounmpo - C
Joel Embiid
Two MVPs in the front court and a 30+ PPG shot creator at every position behind them.
Career All-Star selection leaders
- 1. LeBron James — 19
- 1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — 19
- 3. Kobe Bryant — 18
- 4. Tim Duncan — 15
- 4. Kevin Garnett — 15
- 4. Shaquille O'Neal — 15
- 4. Bob Cousy — 13
- 4. Karl Malone — 14
FAQ
Who has the most NBA All-Star selections?
LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are tied at 19 career All-Star selections. Kobe Bryant is third with 18. LeBron is the only player to be voted a starter in 19 consecutive games.
When was the first NBA All-Star Game?
The first NBA All-Star Game was played on March 2, 1951 at Boston Garden. The East beat the West 111-94 in front of 10,094 fans — a turnout that saved the game from being a one-off.
How are All-Star starters selected?
Starters are picked through a weighted vote: 50% fan vote, 25% current player vote, and 25% media vote. Coaches then pick the seven reserves on each side. The format has been tweaked many times since the 2017 captain-draft change.
Which All-Star lineup was the most dominant ever?
Most analysts point to the 1992 East starting five — Jordan, Pippen, Wilkins, Malone, and Ewing — or the 2003 West with Garnett, Duncan, Shaq, Kobe, and Stockton. Both are routinely simulated as the strongest All-Star Five of any era.