Ad Disclosure
Two former Kentucky players will be starters in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the New York Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns will start for the Western and Eastern conferences respectively. This will be Gilgeous-Alexander’s 3rd ASG selection and Towns’ 5th.
RELATED: Calling all Kentucky residents! Check out Saturday Down South’s guide to KY sports betting apps and get in on the action today!
Gilgeous-Alexander starred for the Wildcats during the 2017-18 season. The star guard began as a reserve, but quickly forced his way into the starting lineup as the season progressed. The Canada native ended his lone season in Lexington averaging 14.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game.
Gilgeous-Alexander would go on to be a 1st round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and has now blossomed into one of the best guards in the league. The guard is leading the NBA in points per game with 32.0. Gilgeous-Alexander’s incredible season has his Thunder sitting as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference with a 36-7 record.
Towns, meanwhile, starred for the Wildcats in the 2014-15 season. The big man started all 39 games he played in during his tenure and ended his college career averaging 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. Towns would also go on to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and develop into one of the NBA’s best big men. During the 2024-25 NBA season, Towns is averaging 25.1 points and 13.9 rebounds per game.
While the starters were revealed on Thursday, the reserves will not be revealed until Jan. 31. The All-Star Game will tip off from the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sunday, Feb. 16.
Bryce Lazenby covers college football for Saturday Down South. A Nashville native, his previous stops include FanSided, Dimers, and The Leaf-Chronicle.