What first round of NBA All-Star fan voting means for Warriors’ Steph Curry

SAN FRANCISCO — The first round of fan voting for the 2025 All-Star Game are in, and they’re somewhat perilous for Steph Curry.

Curry, 36, has been an All-Star 10 times and this year’s event — hosted at Chase Center — is expected to be a celebration of his greatness. Yet despite being one of the most popular players among fans, Curry is on the outside looking in after the first ballots came in.

With 810,357 votes, Curry ranks third in the Western Conference among backcourt players. Both Luka Doncic (870,071 votes) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (1,053,683) are polling ahead of him.

Fan voting accounts for 50% of the starting lineup selection, with media and player votes each weighed 25%. Three frontcourt and two backcourt players from each conference make up the starters, with coaches selecting seven reserves — regardless of position — for each team.

It would seem unbelievable for Curry to be left off the roster entirely, especially with the All-Star Game in the Bay Area, but the first fan votes suggest it wouldn’t be impossible.

There are two more rounds of fan vote tabulating to come, but if the current votes hold, Curry would be in a large pool of reserve candidates for coaches to sift through. That group would include Anthony Davis, Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, Kyrie Irving, Ja Morant, Anthony Edwards, De’Aaron Fox, Alperen Sengun, and Jalen Williams.

Curry is averaging 22 points and 6.4 assists per game this year, but several of those above players have arguably had more impressive seasons so far.

Commissioner Adam Silver consulted Curry to try to find new ways to spruce up the All-Star Game, which has gone stale in recent years. The new format involves a miniature tournament between four teams — three eight-player All-Star teams and the winner of the Rising Stars game between rookies, sophomores and G League players. Games will be played to 40.

Fan voting for the Feb. 16 game goes through Jan. 20 and full rosters will be announced on Jan. 30.

In the first round of voting, Andrew Wiggins was the only other Warrior besides Curry to rank in the top-10; with 187,530 votes, he placed eighth among West frontcourt players.

The last time the Bay Area hosted the All-Star festivities — in 2000 at Oracle Arena — the Warriors didn’t have any All-Stars. Curry will likely ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself, but he may need the fan voting to pick up in his favor.

Notable

— Steph Curry sprained his right thumb and has it taped up for Thursday night’s game against the 76ers at Chase Center. While he was listed as questionable, the Warriors expected him to play.

— After two straight DNPs, Kevon Looney could play a bigger role against Joel Embiid and Philadelphia.

— Embiid didn’t play in Wednesday night’s loss to Sacramento, sitting out the first leg of a back-to-back. Paul George dropped 30 points in the first three quarters, but went scoreless in the fourth while committing three turnovers and two fouls. The Kings finished the game on a 15-0 run.