2026 NBA All-Star Game Odds and Predictions: Winner, MVP, Slam Dunk, and More

NBA All-Star Game Format 2026: What’s New This Year?

The NBA All-Star Game has suffered from a lack of competitiveness recently, with 2020 being the exception. The league has been working on various ways to change that. Last year featured four teams, picked by the “Inside the NBA” panel. Starters were picked by the fans (50%), the players (25%), and the media (25%). The reserves were voted on by the coaches in each conference.

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game format is likely to feature a round-robin tournament consisting three eight-player squads of two USA teams and one World team, sources tell ESPN. NBA and players union presented format to the Competition Committee on Wednesday and response was positive. pic.twitter.com/xuR46pVYyu

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 3, 2025

This is now a three-team tournament, where all three teams play each other once. These games will be 12 minutes long, and the top two teams will play a championship game. USA Stripes consists of veteran American players, while USA Stars features younger players from the United States. Team World, of course, is loaded with international players.

NBA All-Star Winner Odds and Betting Lines

Team World (+135) are the favorites with a 42.6% implied probability to win at NBA betting sites! USA Stripes (+175) aren’t far behind with a 36.4% implied probability. USA Stars (+220) bring up the rear at 31.2%, but their youthful energy could be worth a look!

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game team rosters: #NBA #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/C7b1BjFWhA

— InsideHoops.com (@InsideHoops) February 4, 2026

NBA MVP Odds and Betting Lines

Victor Wembanyama (+450) is the favorite in the NBA All-Star MVP odds, and he says he’s going to take the game seriously.

Victor Wembanyama: “I want to push the great players of this sport to play in the All-Star game just as hard as I will. We’ll see how it goes, But if they don’t play hard, I’ll do it without them.”

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 20, 2026

Wembanyama was +700 when the NBA All-Star Game MVP odds were released, but is now an even larger favorite. Jaylen Brown (+1000) has moved up from +2000. Luka Doncic (+1000) is next, although as of February 13, the NBA scoring leader has missed four games with a hamstring injury. It remains to be seen if he’ll play this weekend, and if so, how hard he’ll go. Three USA Stars, Cade Cunningham (+1100) and Tyrese Maxey (+1200), and Anthony Edwards (+1400) follow Brown and Doncic in the NBA ASG MVP.

You can find plenty of value on the board at All-Star games, and this year is no exception. The Stripes’ veteran duo of Kevin Durant (+1500) and LeBron James (+1800) could aim to the show the young players they still have energy left. Donovan Mitchell (+1600) and Jalen Brunson (+2000) could get hot.

You could even look at Kawhi Leonard (+2000), who is the only Clipper taking part in the All-Star Game. As the hometown star, that could lead to a big night, and a big return, from Leonard! At the start of the week, you could have bet on Leonard at +4500!

NBA Rosters by Conference

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will miss the All-Star Game due to an abdominal injury. He’ll be replaced by Alperen Sengun.
• Stephen Curry will also miss the game due to a knee injury. Toronto’s Brandon Ingram was selected as his replacement.
• Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t play because of a calf injury, although he’ll be a coach in the Celebrity Game. San Antonio’s De’Aaron Fox will play in his place.
• Number of All-Star appearances in parentheses.

Doncic was the highest vote-getter in the West, while Antetokounmpo paced the East. James extends his All-Star appearance record with his 22^nd showing, while there are six players making their first appearance.

Detroit’s J.B. Bickerstaff will coach the USA Stars, while San Antonio’s Mitch Johnson will take over the USA Stripes. Toronto’s Darko Rajakovic coaches the World team.

We have NBA All-Star Celebrity Game MVP odds for the teams. One will be coached by Milwaukee Bucks’ superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers, Thanasis and Alex, along with Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The other team will be coached by actor Anthony Anderson, and two NBA coaches, Chris “Lethal Shooter” Brickley.

The Celebrity Game MVP has been historically an interesting mix of options. But the favorites this year all played in the NBA before: Jeremy Lin (+250), Tacko Fall (+350), and Jason Williams. Lin and Williams are former NBA champions, while the 7’6” Fall played in the NBA as recently as 2022.

I would pick from one of these three players, and I’m going to put Lin in my NBA All-Star betting picks. He’s still 37, and only retired from playing overseas last season. I think +250 is a decent return to see “Linsanity” do his thing one more time.

The four coaches for the 2026 Rising Stars competition are Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, and Austin Rivers. Team Austin brings up the rear as they’ll feature G-League players, while the other three rosters have rookie and sophomore NBA players.

Team Melo will play Team Austin in the first game, while cousins Carter and McGrady will meet in the second game. The winners go on to the final.

The NBA Rising Stars odds have shifted as Team Melo was +100 at the beginning of the week. They’re now +200 after Cooper Flagg’s injury, and he’ll be replaced by Ace Bailey. Alex Sarr and Ajay Mitchell will miss the game for Team T-Mac, to be replaced by Bub Carrington and Zaccharie Risacher. Team T-Mac is now favored at +160.

Team Melo, now led by reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, should easily beat Team Austin. The second game should be more competitive, but I’ll take Team Vince, led by V.J. Edgecombe and Matas Buzelis. In the final, I’m sticking with Team Melo, now at +200 in my NBA All-Star betting picks, because I thought the original roster should be minus money to win. I believe it’s still the best squad of Rising Stars!

Portland’s Damian Lillard (+450) returns for the first time since tearing his Achilles on April 27, 2025, as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. But Lillard won this contest in 2024 and 2025, and he is looking to join Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only two-time winners. Charlotte rookie Kon Knueppel (+275) is the lone favorite, shooting 42.8% from three-point land. He was +400 with Lillard on Tuesday, but is now alone at the top of the board.

Phoenix’s Devin Booker (+750) won in 2018, but he’s shooting just 31.1% from beyond the arc, although he’s shooting better recently. The highest percentage in the field is actually the longest, Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis (+1200), at 45.6%.

This competition is all about who gets hot at the right time, and I’m taking Kon Knueppel at +275. The Hornets’ rookie is, at worst, the second-best rookie in the league this season. He should also have a rhythm after playing in the Rising Stars game the day before. Let’s go with the former Duke star in our NBA All-Star betting predictions.

The Slam Dunk contest has lost some of its shine recently, but the potential is always there for an exciting night! Orlando’s Jase Richardson (+200) is the new favorite after starting the week last on the board at +350. San Antonio’s Carter Bryant (+225) is next, moving down from +180, while Jaxson Hayes of the Los Angeles Lakers (+260) and Miami’s Keshad Johnson (+350), and aren’t far behind. It should be noted that Mac McClung, who has won straight dunk contests, is skipping the event, but he’ll play in the Rising Stars game.

I’m taking Hayes out of the running as he’s a true seven-footer. The only big man to win the Slam Dunk contest is Dwight Howard, and Hayes is no Howard. The rest are all unproven rookies (Bryant and Richardson) or a sophomore (Johnson).

I took the value on Richardson on Tuesday at +350, and I’m sticking with him at +200, for the sole reason that his father, Jason, won this event in 2002 and 2003. I think it’s a lock that Richardson wears his father’s jersey at some point, and that Jason will help his son with at least one of his dunks. So let’s take Jase Richardson in our Slam Dunk betting picks at +200 here!