Josh Giddey has entered the All-Star conversation.
Giddey featured among the top 40 vote-getters in the NBA’s first release of the fan-voting for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles.
The league released the top 20 players in either conference, with the Aussie coming in at No. 14 in the East with exactly 115,000 votes to date in his bid for his first All-Star nod.
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That has the 23-year old ahead of the likes of Joel Embiid, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner in the conference, while Giddey also polled more votes than Jimmy Butler, Chet Holmgren and Kawhi Leonard in the West.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (1,192,296 votes) is the current vote leader in the East ahead of Tyrese Maxey (1,072,449), Jalen Brunson (1,040,601), Cade Cunningham (1,000,171) and Donovan Mitchell (851,511).
Luka Doncic (1,249,518) has the most overall votes as the leader in the West, with Nikola Jokic (1,128,962), Steph Curry (1,031,455), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (878,621) and Victor Wembanyama (769,362) rounding out the conference’s top five.
LeBron James (536,555) is surprisingly ranked ninth in the West, meaning his run of 21-straight years of being voted an All-Star starter is in serious peril.
James’ 2003/2004 rookie season was the only time he didn’t play in the All-Star game up until the legendary superstar, who turns 41 later this week, missing the 2025 exhibition due to injury.
It comes after James polled the second-most votes of any player in the West last season and hauled the most votes in the West in 2024.
Fan voting for the 2026 game, which closes on January 15, makes up 50 per cent of the final tally to determine the All-Star starters, with the other 50 per cent split between the media and player votes.
Seven reserves from either conference will then be decided by the head coaches in a new round of voting.
Under the new USA v World round-robin format, the 24 players chosen will be split into three teams — two entirely American teams — featuring a minimum eight-man rosters with no positional limitations.
If there’s an uneven 18-6 split, NBA commissioner Adam Silver will name extra players to get to the minimum 16 Americans or the minimum eight international players. That would result in at least one team having more than eight players.
So while Giddey is a fair way down from being one of the five guaranteed All-Stars in the East, it’s still a strong endorsement of his career-best season to date and bodes well for his prospects of being considered a reserve.
Particularly if teams of some players currently ahead of him in voting like Pascal Siakam’s Pacers or Michael Porter Jr’s Nets go into tank mode as the season progresses and the 15-16 Bulls can keep up their recent turnaround.
The Aussie guard has lived up to $100 million contract signed in the off-season, averaging 19.5 points, 9.2 assists, and 9.5 rebounds per game with just under two threes on 39 per cent shooting. Only Jokic (16) has more triple-doubles than Giddey (seven) this season.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan recently suggested Giddey still has the potential to level up, particularly on the defensive end, to become a more complete player.
“He can put his fingerprints all over the game,” Donovan said.
“I haven’t even mentioned the defensive part, because of his size, I do think he’s got the potential to guard multiple positions. At 23 years old, that’s the growth that he needs. I think if you look at the individual growth in terms of just his raw numbers, he’s gotten better every single year.”
Vote for Giddey to be an All-Star here.
NBA ALL-STAR VOTING 2026: FIRST FAN RETURNS
East
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) 1,192,296
2. Tyrese Maxey (PHI) 1,072,449
3. Jalen Brunson (NYK) 1,040,601
4. Cade Cunningham (DET) 1,000,171
5. Donovan Mitchell (CLE) 851,155
6. Jaylen Brown (BOS) 808,276
7. Karl-Anthony Towns (NYK) 510,577
8. Jalen Johnson (ATL) 302,367
9. Pascal Siakam (IND) 155,910
10. Michael Porter Jr. (BKN) 150,370
11. LaMelo Ball (CHA) 135,236
12. Brandon Ingram (TOR) 130,618
13. OG Anunoby (NYK) 123,349
14. Josh Giddey (CHI) 150,000
15. Mikal Bridges (NYK) 113,939
16. Josh Hart (NYK) 106,037
17. Joel Embiid (PHI) 102,017
18. Norman Powell (MIA) 100,390
19. Paolo Banchero (ORL) 99,565
West
1. Luka Doncic (LAL) 1,249,518
2. Nikola Jokic (DEN) 1,128,962
3. Stephen Curry (GSW) 1,031,455
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) 878,621
5. Victor Wembanyama (SAS) 769,362
6. Anthony Edwards (MIN) 650,085
7. Deni Avdija (POR) 606,299
8. Kevin Durant (HOU) 548,754
9. LeBron James (LAL) 536,555
10. Austin Reaves (LAL) 405,379
11. Alperen Sengun (HOU) 308,346
12. James Harden (LAC) 215,301
13. Anthony Davis (DAL) 144,178
14. Jamal Murray (DEN) 130,656
15. Devin Booker PHX) 121,12
16. Lauri Markkanen (UTA) 112,209
17. Jimmy Butler III (GSW) 111,411
18. Stephon Castle (SAS) 93,133
19. Chet Holmgren (OKC) 92,210
20. Kawhi Leonard (LAC) 85,325
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