Trae Young Replaces Giannis in 2025 NBA All-Star Game After Bucks Star's Calf Injury

Trae Young was seen as one of the biggest All-Star Game snubs when the rosters were initially revealed, but the Atlanta Hawks guard will participate in the contest after all.

ESPN's Shams Charania noted Monday that Young will replace the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo in the All-Star Game.

This comes after NBA insider Chris Haynes reported the Milwaukee Bucks star will be sidelined for two to three weeks because of a calf strain.

Antetokounmpo isn't the only notable name who will miss the event on Feb. 16.

Haynes also reported that Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis will not participate because of an adductor strain he suffered in his first game with his new team after he was traded by the Los Angeles Lakers.

This year's All-Star Game in San Francisco will look a bit different than in the past, as there will be a four-team tournament instead of the traditional one-game format.

TNT broadcasters Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal drafted three of the teams from the list of players who were selected for the event, and the fourth squad will be the winning Rising Stars team.

Barkley selected Antetokounmpo, while O'Neal ended up with Davis:

The outlook of the roster will change with Young taking Antetokounpo's place, as the former is a ball-handling guard who is best known for his ability to launch three-pointers from well beyond the arc. By comparison, Antetokounmpo is nearly unstoppable when attacking the rim but isn't known for his prowess from deep.

This is the fourth All-Star Game of Young's career after he previously made it in 2020, 2022 and 2024. He is averaging 23.5 points, a league-best 11.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 34 percent from deep.

His passing and assist totals were a primary reason he was seen as a snub before being named as an injury replacement.

With that as the backdrop, look for him to play the role of facilitator in an event that is usually fast-paced with little defensive effort. He can create excitement with lob passes and then take advantage of the space if the defense collapses toward the rim later in the game.