NBA All-Star Game: Detroit Pistons with the longest active drought, Golden State Warriors dominate in the last decade
| Updated: January 15, 2025The voting for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game is well underway. Fans across the globe are casting their ballots, with voting set to close on January 20th. This year’s All-Star Game stands out due to a bold shift in format. For the first time, the weekend will feature a four-team tournament, designed to increase engagement and competitiveness. While the change is generating buzz, Sportingpedia‘s latest report focuses on the legacies of NBA teams and their contributions to All-Star history – particularly which franchises have succeeded or faltered in producing All-Star-caliber players.
- The Detroit Pistons have the longest active All-Star drought, last represented by Blake Griffin in 2019. However, Cade Cunningham’s current top-10 ranking in Eastern Conference voting could end the dry spell
- Over the last decade, the Golden State Warriors have led All-Star representation with 21 selections, highlighted by their championship core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green
- With 153 total All-Star selections, the Celtics lead all franchises historically. They have also been well-represented in the past decade with 16 All-Star appearances
- The Magic have struggled with only three All-Star selections in the last decade. However, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, both in the top 10 for 2025 voting, represent a promising future for the franchise
- The Nuggets hold a unique record with 11 representatives in the 1976 All-Star Game, achieved under a special format where one team featured the league’s top players and the other was composed of the top-seeded Nuggets
- Despite being the NBA’s youngest franchise (established in 2002), the Pelicans have already amassed 19 All-Star appearances, showcasing a strong start in league history
- The Lakers rank second in all-time All-Star selections with 146 and have added 14 appearances in the last decade, maintaining their status as one of the league’s premier franchises
- Historically, the 76ers have produced 112 All-Star selections, making them one of the league’s most represented franchises. Joel Embiid has been a regular representative in recent years
- The Spurs have struggled recently with no representation since 2022, but rookie Victor Wembanyama is widely expected to earn a spot this year
- Despite inconsistencies, the Nets are among eight franchises that have sent four players to an All-Star Game, a feat achieved during their Kevin Garnett-Paul Pierce era
- At the lower end of representation, the Grizzlies have only had nine All-Star appearances. However, Ja Morant has been a standout and continues to raise their profile
- With 100 total All-Star selections, the New York Knicks rank among the most historic franchises but have had limited representation over the past decade, despite Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle earning spots in 2024
- Houston’s All-Star drought dates back to 2020, when James Harden and Russell Westbrook represented the team. Alperen Şengün could break the streak if his performances continue to impress
Key Takeaways:
The Droughts: Teams Waiting for Their Next All-Star Moment
Some NBA franchises have endured prolonged All-Star droughts, waiting years to see their players represented among the league’s elite. 12 teams in total were not represented in last year’s edition of the All-Star game. The Detroit Pistons currently lead with the longest active streak, last sending Blake Griffin to an All-Star Game in 2019. The Houston Rockets follow, with James Harden and Russell Westbrook representing them most recently in 2020. For the Washington Wizards, Bradley Beal was their last All-Star in 2021. The San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets round out this list, with Dejounte Murray and LaMelo Ball appearing in 2022. While Jordan Poole is in the top 10 for Eastern Conference backcourt positions, his chances of breaking Washington’s drought seem slim unless injuries open up roster spots.
However, this year offers hope for many of these teams to end their droughts. Cade Cunningham of the Pistons, LaMelo Ball of the Hornets, and the Magic’s duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are all ranked in the top 10 of Eastern Conference All-Star voting. Additionally, the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama has emerged as a sure bet, provided he remains healthy. Houston also has a compelling case in Alperen Şengün, whose performances this season have drawn considerable attention and could see him selected to the All-Star roster.
The Most Represented Franchises in All-Star Games
Certain teams have consistently produced All-Star talent throughout history. The reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics lead with 153 selections in total. The Los Angeles Lakers follow with 146. The two franchises are the most successful not only in producing stars, but also the Celtics and the Lakers are NBA’s most decorated teams with 18 and 17 titles respectively. The Philadelphia 76ers, with 112, and the Detroit Pistons, with 106, also rank among the most represented organizations in All-Star games. The Golden State Warriors, with 101 selections, and the New York Knicks, with 100 selections, are the only other teams with more than a century of selections.
Historic Feats and Rare Achievements
Interestingly, each of the NBA’s 30 franchises have been represented by multiple players in at least one All-Star game. Eight franchises have sent four players, including the Celtics, Lakers, Warriors, Pistons, 76ers, Nets, Spurs and the Atlanta Hawks. Among these, the Warriors stand out for accomplishing this most recently and in back-to-back years (2017 and 2018) when represented by Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green.
Curiously, the Denver Nuggets’ hold the record for the most players from a single franchise in an All-Star Game, with 11 participants in 1976. This occurred under a special format where one team featured the league’s top players and the other was composed of the Nuggets, the top-seeded team at the time.
The Last Decade: Success and Struggles
Over the past 10 All-Star editions, the Golden State Warriors have been the most represented franchise, with 21 selections. Their success is led by Stephen Curry and their four-championship core. The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers closely follow with 16, and 14 selections respectively.
Conversely, teams like the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons have struggled, with only three All-Star selections each in the last decade. While Detroit’s drought stretches till 2019, Orlando’s Paolo Banchero brought attention back to the Magic franchise in 2024.
The Charlotte Hornets and Memphis Grizzlies also remain at the lower end of representation. However, the New Orleans Pelicans, despite being the youngest NBA franchise (established in 2002), have already amassed 19 All-Star appearances.