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For First Time In NBA History, All-Star Captains To Pick Teams In Format Change

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles next year is likely to resemble a more competitive - and more exciting - pickup game after changes announced by the league Tuesday.

In a deal with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), the NBA says it will allow the 2018 All-Star captains to draft their teams from the pool of players voted by fans as starters and reserves - regardless of the conference in which their team plays.

The announcement means for the first time in NBA All-Star history, there will be no "East vs. West" match-up.

So theoretically, under the new rules, Clippers center DeAndre Jordan could play for the East All-Stars even though his team is in the Western Conference.

The captains for both teams will each be the All-Star starter from each conference who gets the most fan votes. Those were LeBron James in the East and Stephen Curry in the West last season.

The current process for selecting All-Star participants will remain unchanged.

In another new twist, both teams will play for a Los Angeles-area charity or a national organization where donations will go support local efforts, officials said.

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