<P> On October 3, 2017, the NBA and NBPA announced the changes to the NBA All - Star Game format starting with the 2018 NBA All - Star Game . The vote leaders for each conferences will be assigned as team captains and will be able to select players from the rest of the starters and the reserves, regardless of the conference they play in, to form their own teams . This marks the first time, the conferences will not play against each other since the inaugural All - Star game . </P> <P> The starting five from each conference consists of three frontcourt players and two guards, selected by a combination of fan, player, and media voting . In 2017, the NBA moved from a pure fan vote to a weighted process wherein fan voting accounts for 50% of the total and player and media voting account for 25% each . The league made the change in response to social media campaigns that resulted in mediocre players such as journeyman Zaza Pachulia nearly being voted as All - Star starters over more deserving players., Prior to 2013, fans selected two forwards and one center instead of generic frontcourt players . The NBA in 2003 began offering All - Star ballots in three languages--English, Spanish and Chinese--for fan voting of the starters . </P> <P> NBA coaches vote for the reserves for their respective conferences, none of which can be players on their own team . Each coach selects two guards, three frontcourt players and two wild cards, with each selected player ranked in order of preference within each category . If a multi-position player is to be selected, coaches are encouraged to vote for the player at the position that is "most advantageous for the All - Star team", regardless of where the player is listed on the All - Star ballot or the position he is listed in box scores . If a player is unavailable for the game due to injury, the NBA commissioner selects a replacement for the roster . If the replacement is for a fan - selected starter, the all - star coach chooses the replacement in the starting lineup, and is not limited to the commissioner's addition to the roster . It is also possible for more than one All - Star to be selected from one team, but there has never been more than 4 All - Stars represent a team in the game . Most recently was the 2017 Golden State Warriors who had 4 players represent that team (Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson .) This has only occurred 8 times dating back to 1962 Boston Celtics and the 1962 Los Angeles Lakers . </P> <P> The Game is played under normal NBA rules, but there are notable differences from an average game . Since the starting All - Stars are selected by fan vote, players sometimes start the game at atypical positions . For instance, in 2007 Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady had the two highest fan vote totals among Western Conference guards . As both players normally play shooting guard, Bryant, who is 6'6" (198 cm), started the game as a point guard, despite him also manning the shooting guard position on his team . </P>

When do nba all star captains pick teams