European Might Dominates NBA All-Star: Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo Lead First Returns Of Fan Voting

Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo are already separating themselves from the pack.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar leads all players in the first fan returns of NBA All-Star voting, released Monday, while Giannis Antetokounmpo sits comfortably atop the Eastern Conference standings.

Doncic has racked up a league-high 1,249,518 votes, making him the early frontrunner not just in the West, but across the NBA. Close behind are Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets (1,128,962), Stephen Curry (1,031,455), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (878,621), and rising phenom Victor Wembanyama (769,362).

In the East, Giannis continues to be box-office gold. The Bucks star has collected 1,192,296 votes, leading a strong group that includes Tyrese Maxey (1,072,449), Jalen

Brunson (1,040,601), Cade Cunningham (1,000,171), and Donovan Mitchell (851,155).

This year’s All-Star Game, set for February 15 in Inglewood, California, will debut a new international twist: two teams of U.S. players and one team of international stars battling it out in a round-robin tournament of four 12-minute games.

Fan voting makes up 50% of the starter selection, with current NBA players and a media panel contributing 25% each. Position labels are gone, meaning the top vote-getters reign supreme.

And there’s more to come — Tuesday’s “3-for-1 Day” will triple every fan vote. The next voting update drops on January 6, but for now, Luka and Giannis are firmly in control.

(with Reuters inputs)