For the first time in history, the 2018 NBA All-Star Game will feature two teams chosen not by geography, but in old-school playground fashion. Captains from each conference will select from all fellow All-Stars, regardless of conference affiliation. when drafting the “East” and “West” squads. The NBA shared the news via press release this afternoon.
All-Stars will still be determined via election, the mechanics of which remain unchanged under the new system: popular votes determining starters and coaches voting for reserves. But instead of being parceled into two teams by conference, elected players will go into a general All-Star pool.