NBA All-Star Game 2018 teams: LeBron James picks Kyrie Irving

LeBron James and Stephen Curry have selected their All-Star teams under the NBA’s new format. No longer is the league pitting its best Western Conference players against the Eastern Conference. The players are creating their own lineups.

This year, the two who received the most All-Star votes -- James and Curry -- became team captains. At 3 p.m. on Thursday, the two joined a conference call to make selections. James was awarded the first pick, while Curry got to choose his jersey color.

The draft wasn’t televised, despite fan and player interest in doing so. The league intended to air the draft live, but the National Basketball Players Association pushed back on the idea.

“The NBPA did not consult a single agent on the issue of a televised all-star draft, the NBPA told SB Nation. It was the absence of a consensus by prospective players likely to be affected that led to support for a reveal. Whether a decision to broadcast the draft will be made after this year’s game, that will be determined going forward.”

James and Curry both hinted after the draft that next year could be the year it’s televised:

Regardless, this reinvented All-Star Game is an exciting change from a format that felt tired. Plus, this way we get a chance to see teammates play against each other.

Here are the rosters:

Starter: Kyrie Irving

Starter: Kevin Durant

Starter: LeBron James

Starter: Anthony Davis

Starter: DeMarcus Cousins

Bench: Russell Westbrook

Bench: Kristaps Porzingis

Bench: LaMarcus Aldridge

Bench: Kevin Love

Bench: John Wall

Bench: Victor Oladipo

Bench: Bradley Beal

Starter: Stephen Curry

Starter: James Harden

Starter: DeMar DeRozan

Starter: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Starter: Joel Embiid

Bench: Klay Thompson

Bench: Al Horford

Bench: Draymond Green

Bench: Jimmy Butler

Bench: Damian Lillard

Bench: Karl-Anthony Towns

Bench: Kyle Lowry

The All-Star Game is on Feb. 18.